Gov. Minner Welcomes AAA Mid-Atlantic to Wilmington's Riverfront
Governor Ruth Ann Minner, officials from AAA Mid-Atlantic and Wilmington Mayor James Baker officially opened the company's new headquarters during a ribbon cutting ceremony today at the Wilmington Riverfront. The addition of the new headquarters and the company's current operations center in Newark will bring AAA's job total to more than 850 employees in the state.
AAA Mid-Atlantic's 157,235-square-foot headquarters currently has 300 employees working at the Wilmington Riverfront location. AAA Mid-Atlantic announced in January 2005 that the company would relocate its corporate home to Delaware after nearly a century in Center City, Philadelphia, in addition to adding the new operations center to Newark.
"The Wilmington Riverfront is a vibrant location for business," Gov. Minner said. "AAA Mid-Atlantic is the latest outstanding company to add its corporate presence to this dynamic, growing area of the state. In the relatively short time that they have been headquartered here in Delaware, AAA has already contributed greatly to our state's economy and has proven to be a fine corporate citizen."
AAA's new headquarters provides an ideal central location and a state-of-the-art building for the club to better serve its 3.5 million members throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The new headquarters will also house a branch office offering a full array of AAA services and products.
"Our new building on the Wilmington riverfront is a shining example of what can be accomplished when the private sector, state and local government work together," said Allen J. DeWalle, president and chief executive officer of AAA Mid-Atlantic. "It gives us the best of an urban environment and an office park environment. I would highly recommend Delaware to any business leader who is looking to relocate to the first state."
AAA's expanded presence in Newark and Wilmington is expected to add more than $100 million annually to Delaware's economy.
AAA is a membership organization with origins as an automobile club that began in 1900. Today, it provides 44 million members in the U.S. and Canada with automotive, travel and financial services. AAA Mid-Atlantic serves 3.5 million members in five states and Washington D.C.
"Today marks the result of a collaborative effort of Delaware's strong private and public partnership," said Delaware Economic Development Office Director Judy McKinney-Cherry. "I thank our state's business leaders and the city of Wilmington for their work and dedication in attracting AAA Mid-Atlantic to the Riverfront."
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