COUDERSPORT – More than 500 Time Warner Cable workers who were
cut loose by the company on Monday are being advised to remain
patient as potential employers look over that company’s vacated
facilities in Coudersport.

The prime properties attracting the most interest are the former
Coudersport Elementary School on North Main Street and a large
metal-framed building erected in the late 1990s as a recreation
facility, but converted to a customer care center.

At the same time community leaders are courting potential
employers, they’re also talking with Time Warner officials about
acquiring the two buildings. A consulting firm, Renaissance
Partners, is spearheading the search of employers, with local
arrangements being coordinated by the Potter County Redevelopment
Authority.

Authority Executive Director John Wright said Wednesday that of
the half-dozen or so companies expressing an interest, three are
serious about moving into Coudersport.

“There are some marquee-name companies, well recognized around
the country and respected in the industry, that have expressed
interest,” the director said. “As impressive as the buildings and
infrastructure are, they see the people as the greatest asset.”

One of the companies eying Coudersport is a customer service
outsourcer for some of the country’s biggest TV cable
companies.

Additionally, cable giant Comcast recently sent three executives
from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to Coudersport for a tour of the
Time Warner facilities.

However, sources in Coudersport report that Comcast’s interest
appears to be more in recruiting displaced workers for its
Pittsburgh-based “Three Rivers Region,” rather than opening a
center in Potter County.

Meanwhile, the Coudersport-based Zito Media is holding open
meetings today and again next Monday to talk about possible
employment opportunities with that company’s new service line,
Phone4Broadband (P4B).

Zito Media is entering the highly competitive Internet-based
telephone business, with P4B being “soft-launched” nationwide.

Any potential employee interested in learning more about
possible P4B customer service or marketing job opportunities is
welcome to attend meetings with Zito Media officials at the
Coudersport Theatre today at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and next Monday at
10 a.m.

As announced in early December, Time Warner on Monday shut down
its Advanced Product Customer Center and a related division, the
Sales and Marketing Advanced Retention Team (SMART).

About 50 of the affected employees have taken Time Warner jobs
in other states.

Time Warner’s workforce in Coudersport now numbers about 75
holding onto jobs in the engineering and information technology
departments.

Most of the 500 or so displaced employees have qualified for a
severance check, as well as up to a half-year of unemployment
compensation benefits from the state while they look for work.