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Indianapolis – Walker Information, a business-to-business customer experience consulting firm, announced plans today to expand its operations here, constructing a new headquarters facility and creating up to 30 new high-wage jobs by 2020.
“Here in Indiana, we have made it a top-priority to build a pro-growth business environment that offers low costs, declining taxes, reduced regulations and a skilled workforce,” said Governor Mike Pence. “With a growing number of tech companies choosing to call Indiana home, this industry continues to create quality, good-paying Hoosier jobs. As we head into Indiana’s third century, I am proud to see Indiana’s tech community thriving and witness yet another firm like Walker benefit from doing business in a state that works.”
The family-owned company, in partnership with real estate developer PK Partners, will invest $11 million to build a new 54,000-square-foot headquarters facility at 8940 River Crossing Blvd. on Indianapolis’ north side. Walker expects to complete the move by the end of 2017, relocating from its current facility at 301 Pennsylvania Parkway. The company, which uses predictive analytics and innovative solutions to help its customers grow, serves more than 100 businesses around the world, including many Fortune 1000 firms, such as EMC, Sysco, Pepsi and Avaya. Fueled by the evolving needs of its customers, Walker plans to expand its services and increase its consulting operations to better position its clients for continued growth.
Walker currently employs 127 Hoosiers at its headquarters and plans to continue hiring for consulting, analytic, information technology and project management positions. New positions are expected to offer average wages nearly 50 percent higher than the state average wage. Interested applicants may apply online at walkerinfo.hirecentric.com/jobs/.
“Indiana is the ideal place for Walker,” said Steven F. Walker, chairman and chief executive officer of Walker Information. “The business environment, the caliber of our workforce and the quality of life for our people are just a few of the reasons we choose to do business from our headquarters in Indianapolis. In addition, Indianapolis has become an important center for the emerging measured marketing industry and Walker has been an important contributor to this effort since our humble beginnings in 1939.”
Founded in Broad Ripple in 1939, Walker specializes in customer retention and growth strategies by using predictive analytics, cutting-edge technology and consulting services to help companies achieve their business objectives and grow shareholder value. In 2014, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary by collaborating with Leadership Indianapolis on a community-wide assessment of local leadership. For the fourth year in a row, the third-generation family business received the Temkin Group’s Customer Experience Vendor Excellence Award, an industry recognized award for innovation and impact.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered Walker Information Inc. up to $455,000 in tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Indianapolis will consider a property tax abatement at the request of Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber.
“It’s exciting to see Walker Information continue to grow in Indianapolis,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “While we celebrate anytime a business chooses to expand and invest in our community, it’s particularly gratifying to have a family-owned, decades-old institution like Walker Information find success here. Through continued innovation and adaptive strategies, I have no doubt that Walker Information will remain a stalwart presence in Indianapolis for years to come.”
Indiana’s technology sector added jobs at a rate of 18 percent from 2012 to 2014, which is three times faster than the national average. Walker’s growth follows announcements within the last year from technology companies including Salesforce, Determine, Emarsys, Blue Horseshoe Solutions, Lumavate, PolicyStat, iLAB, Appirio, Rook Security and Eleven Fifty Consulting, which together are committing to create more than a thousand tech jobs in Central Indiana.
“Walker’s headquarters expansion project, along with recent announcements like Saleforce’s new regional headquarters, are proof that Indianapolis is fast becoming a “World Class” Tech City in the Silicon Prairie,” said Sam Smith, chairman of RESOURCE Commercial Real Estate, who represented Walker in this headquarters build-to-suit transaction.
