Primerica adds to Gwinnett's recent successes

By Rachel Tobin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Metro Atlanta got multiple helpings of good jobs news in recent weeks – and three servings went to Gwinnett County.

Last week, Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA announced plans to consolidate its Gwinnett office and warehouse operations and add some 200 jobs in the next decade.

This week, Ricoh Electronics announced it will hire 70 new workers at its thermal label plant in Gwinnett, as a big new machine goes into production in 2013.

And Friday, Gov. Nathan Deal and Gwinnett officials will be feting the groundbreaking of a big new headquarters for insurance marketer Primerica.

“It’s really fun to have two groundbreakings within the same week,” said Nick Masino, vice president of economic development for the Gwinnett Chamber. “And Mitsubishi just got approved for a $30 million project. Just in the last couple of weeks, we’re looking at well over $100 million worth of new investment that in two years will be fully completed and be on the Gwinnett County tax rolls.”

Masino said the success is the result of a five-year, public-private economic development initiative called Partnership Gwinnett. All three projects were targeted by the group, he said.

The latest is the new Primerica building – about three miles from its old campus – that will house an additional 200 employees. Primerica already is Gwinnett’s fourth largest private employer, with 1,800 workers.

“We’re clearly hopeful that our business will continue to grow,” said Primerica spokesman Mark Supic. The company only committed to creating 35 jobs over five years to qualify for tax credits, but the new building in Duke Realty’s Legacy office park will be built for a time when the company can hire more people, Supic said.