IBM bringing jobs to Tulsa

IBM is adding a thousand new jobs to its Tulsa workforce over the next five years. Those new jobs will nearly double the number of people working for IBM in downtown Tulsa. <br/><br/>News on 6 anchor

Monday, December 13th 2004, 5:44 am

By: News On 6

IBM is adding a thousand new jobs to its Tulsa workforce over the next five years. Those new jobs will nearly double the number of people working for IBM in downtown Tulsa.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day says Harold Briggs with IBM in Tulsa expects big changes at the company over the next five years. IBM will add nearly one thousand new jobs in Tulsa by 2009. "We love this city. It is a great place to live and work and we've needed some positive news and we're delighted to be a part of that positive news."

Many other firms outsource work to IBM. Now, IBM needs more employees to keep up with that growing demand. Most of the new jobs will be in accounting, finance and information technology.

Oral Roberts University business profession Dr. David Dyson says IBM's growth is great news. "These are the premier type jobs that you want, particularly in your downtown area. That's another blessing for us." The jobs that IBM will add are high paying jobs. Those new employees will make between $40,000 and $95,000 each year.

"I believe Tulsa is on the upswing when it comes to jobs here in this market." Jeff Brucceleri is the host of a daily business talk radio show in Tulsa. Brucceleri says those highly paid employees will impact the area economy. "They are going to spend at your business, my business, at the theatres, at the grocery stores. So now, that ripple effect will help produce more jobs in the market because people are going to be able to employ more people. Their businesses grow, so it has that ripple effect, definitely."

IBM is already in the process of hiring the first wave of new employees.

IBM is getting tax incentives from the State of Oklahoma in exchange for creating those jobs. The company qualified for the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program. That means tax refunds of $35-million over the next ten years.