Amtrak Officials Share Details of their Company's New Sandy Springs IT Office with Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Members

(L-R) Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul receives an Amtrak train model from Dave Hudson, Amtrak’s chief business strategy officer and Jason Molfetas, chief information officer of Amtrak. Molfetas and Hudson spoke at the recent Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon about Amtrak’s new Information Technology Service Delivery Center, which just opened in Sandy Springs.
Photo by I-Kahn Imagery Photography Studio

“I believe Atlanta can one day rival Silicon Valley in terms of information technology talent and business opportunities,” says Jason Molfetas, chief information officer of Amtrak. His inspiring forecast was the central theme of a June 9 presentation to the Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce (SSPC) membership (www.sandyspringsperimeterchamber.com) by Molfetas and Dave Hudson, Amtrak’s chief business strategy officer. The two men gave an overview of Amtrak’s new Information Technology Service Delivery Center, which opened its doors this week at Concourse Office Park in Sandy Springs. Among the over 140 SSPC members and guests in attendance were several elected officials, including Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis and new Brookhaven Mayor Rebecca Chase-Williams.

Molfetas opened the presentation by recognizing the strong IT talent base in Sandy Springs and the greater Atlanta area, thanks to the region’s universities and technical schools. He credited this talent base as a key reason Amtrak selected Sandy Springs for its new IT office, which will support Amtrak IT operations nationwide. He projected as many as 200 jobs will be created in the area over the next two-five years as a result of the new IT Service Delivery Center. Molfetas thanked the business leaders at the luncheon for their cooperation and warm welcome, noting that the core values espoused by the City of Sandy Springs’ leadership and the SSPC align with those of Amtrak:

• Drive safety and security
• Put customers first
• Maximize business results
• Deliver with accountability
• Collaborate for results
• Lead and develop people
• Lead and manage change
• Embrace diversity

Hudson told the group Amtrak believes the new office’s Sandy Springs location is ideal for attracting technology workers, especially Millennials, who desire transportation options and nearby live-work-play centers. According to Hudson, Amtrak leadership is impressed with the city’s local business climate, cost of labor and quality of life. The city’s central location also will help Amtrak draw talent from across the northern arc of Atlanta, as well as from its central business district. Hudson noted the Atlanta IT office is an expansion of Amtrak’s Service Delivery operations, and not a relocation of another office.

Both Hudson and Molfetas made the commitment to forge partnerships with area educational institutions in order to recruit, grow and develop IT professionals. They want Amtrak and its employees to be active, healthy members of the City of Sandy Springs and its neighboring communities, as well as all of metro Atlanta. For more information on Amtrak’s presence in Georgia, visit http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/GEORGIA14.pdf.

About the Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber was formed in 2008 to serve businesses in the City of Sandy Springs and the north Perimeter area. With leadership from an elected Board of Directors, and working in partnership with city government, the Chamber’s mission is to maximize the business success of its members, strengthen the competitiveness of the Sandy Springs business community and enhance economic prosperity of the area. Ongoing initiatives include workforce and economic development, business education, community service and networking opportunities for members. Tom Mahaffey is president of the Sandy Springs-Perimeter Chamber of Commerce. www.sandyspringsperimeterchamber.com