CFS II, the ARM firm led by Bill Bartmann, announced Thursday that it will expand its operations nationwide. Currently, CFS II is focusing its attention on nine states — Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Virginia and Florida — from which five will be chosen.
CFS II has received more than 100 completed RFP’s from many excellent facilities in each of these states, making each one a strong contender to benefit from the company’s expansion.
CFS II will employ 500 employees in each of the five call centers, growing to 1,000 in year two of operation and 2,000 in the third year. Positions include executive, management, HR, legal, accounting and customer service. The majority of hiring will occur in customer service with CFS II employing 479 employees in each call center. Salaries will range from $35,000 for a customer service representative to $120,000 for an executive.
UGL Services is assisting CFS II in the exploration process, having reached out to major commercial real estate brokers and economic development agencies. In its first year of operation, each of the five call centers will encompass 40,000 square feet of office space, and in year five, each is expected to grow to 200,000 square feet. Bartmann will make a capital investment of $1.65 million in year one, as well as in year two. The capital investment will grow to $3.3 million in year three.
CFS II and its site selection firm will now begin to review and compare facilities in competing cities, narrowing down the choices to 10 markets. Once determined, company management will conduct a site visit in order to make a final assessment of the facilities.
“We in the private sector can help stimulate the economy and job growth by creating job expansion,” Bartmann notes. “At one point, I employed 4,000 employees. I’m looking to more than double that.”
The architect behind CFS II’s expansion has also recently launched his 50-state “Stop these Criminals” campaign to protect consumers from harassment by barbaric debt collectors.
In Oklahoma, Bartmann has been instrumental in helping pass legislation providing new protection for citizens facing collection calls for delinquent credit card bills. Bartmann has developed a 10-point model dubbed, “The Bartmann Bill for Ethical Debt Collection,” outlining critical reform for debt collection law in all 50 states. He has presented his recommendations to more than 12 state attorneys general, several members of Congress and federal consumer protection agencies.
Bartmann adds, “I’m very passionate about helping the hundreds of thousands of consumers abused and threatened by debt collection agencies every year. Those that join the CFS II family will see that there are great opportunities to create value by treating consumers with respect. We have a zero tolerance policy for employees that badger or disrespect any of the people we collect from.”