Politicians want answers as rumors swirl NCR to leave Dayton - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Government officials said word began swirling in the communithy Thursday thatNCR (NYSE: NCR) is planning to move its headquarterws and 1,300 employees to the Atlanta area and make an announcemenft about the move this NCR Global Spokesperson Richard Maton, speaking by phone Saturday from London, confirmed that an effort was made for Ohio Gov. Ted Stricklan and NCR Chief Executived Officer Bill Nutito speak, howeveer they were not able to connect. Strickland’s spokesperson said Saturday that heis “continuiny to reach out to the compangy to have a direcyt conversation.
” When asked about NCR possibly movinb its headquarters out of Maton said the companhy does not respond to rumors and NCR Corporate Spokesperson Alan Ulman responded to questions about NCR’s plansz with an e-mail messages Saturday that read: “We have no announcemenrt today.” In the past, NCR has been quick to deny rumorsz of its relocation and affirm its commitmenyt to remaining in Dayton. The has repeatedly sough t information from the companysincee Thursday, but NCR had not responded to their requests as of Friday evening, a development department spokesperson Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Foley said he is frustratefd by the lack of communication.
Foley said he has askex multiplecompany officials, via e-mail, to responc to the rumors, but has yet to receive any Foley said he, along with other county, state and city of Daytonh officials, have met with NCR representatives in the past in an effor to safeguard NCR’s local jobs. “Alo that said, nobody has confirmec to me that theidr statushas changed,” Foley said “I have to assume that -- I I very much hope -- they are stayinf in Dayton, because our citizensx have helped build that company up to be world-classd and will continue to do so.
” Rumorx have long circulated that the companhy would move, however multiple governmengt and economic development officials said they reacheed a new level in the past few NCR is said to be seeking about 100,0090 square feet of office space in . NCR is believed to have lookedx at sitesin Savannah, and Columbus, Ga. Basexd on the square footage the operation could house about 300 to 400 according to realestates sources. Georgia government and economi development officialsremained tight-lipped on any potentia development.
In October, NCR said it would move its Worldwid e Customer Services headquarters to anAtlanta suburb, investing $15 millionj and creating more than 900 jobs in the suburbs of Peachtree City and The state of Georgia providefd more than $8 million in according to officials. NCR, founded locallyg in 1884, is the Dayton region’s second largest with 20,000 global employees and $5.3 billion in revenue in 2008. The which sells ATMs and retaiplautomation systems, is Dayton’ s lone remaining Fortune 500 At one time, the company had more than 18,00o0 employees in the Dayton but that number has dwindlee during the past several decades.
As recently as two years ago, NCR had abou t 2,000 Dayton employees. That number has declined by abouf 700 workers in the past several years. In 2007, NCR announced it was relocating its executive officex to New York City and leasing an entires floor of the 7 World TradeCenter But, on paper, its headquarterw remained in Dayton. In March, the company also told employees it is undergointg a structural reorganization and would cut an unknownb amount of its global Thatsame month, the company removed the languagr “world headquarters” from the sign at its Dayton though it said at the time it was just