GEICO creates insurance jobs in Buffalo.(Reporter's Notebook)

Claims, February, 2004

GEICO and New York Governor George Pataki's office recently announced that Buffalo, N.Y., will be the site of the insurer's second major operations center in the state. GEICO plans to develop a 250,000-square-foot facility in Buffalo's Amherst area over the next several years. Before the facility is completed, GEICO will lease space in the Audubon Office Park, also in Amherst.

Relocation and training activities are scheduled for early this year, with the facility's becoming operational during the second quarter. GEICO expects to hire 650 sales, service, and claim associates within the next three years, a figure that eventually could grow to number 2,500 employees after the site is completed, the company said.