Serge Godin was impressed with the work his company was able to accomplish. "In the space of six months, everybody rallied and merged our two companies," said Godin, CEO of CGI.
CGI is a information technology company based in Canada. In May of 2004, it bought the Fairfax-based AMS and formed CGI-AMS. The new company will be the wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of CGI and will be based on Legato Road in Fair Oaks.
The parent company, said Godin, is the fifth largest Information technology company in North America and the eighth largest in the world.
Donna Morea, president of CGI-AMS, spoke highly of the Fairfax area. "We are sure it is the best possible place to do business in the country," she said.
She also noted that CGI-AMS may be interested in expanding its operations to other parts of Virginia. "Southwest Virginia represents a wonderful candidate for a new center," Morea said.
She expects that the company will add as many as 750 new jobs to its Fairfax Campus, 200 of which will be recent college graduates.
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) was on hand for the announcement, which capped off a busy week of business growth in Fairfax County. Warner announced that a total of approximately 12,000 new jobs will be added to the county in the coming years. "It has been a great week for Virginia's economic development," he said.
At least two of the companies — CGI, and the Italian and English AgustaWestland, a helicopter company, which will be opening an office in Reston — are foreign companies that have located their U.S. operations in Fairfax County. "International companies are insourcing jobs into America," Warner said.
He also touted Virginia's university system, whose graduates help draw companies to the area. During negotiations with these companies, Warner said the first question is always the same. "They always ask me, 'Tell me about your work force,'" he said.
Warner also alluded to his upcoming transportation proposal. "This year, we hope to make some progress on transportation, so not only can you get educated, you can actually get to work," Warner said.