National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car Firms Choose Tulsa as New Home for HQ Operations

Up to 700 HQ Jobs Added to Tulsa Economy

TULSA, Okla., Jan. 29 -- National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, which together make up the world's third largest airport car rental company, will move its headquarters to Tulsa, bringing up to 700 high-level jobs and a direct annual payroll of up to $38.5 million.

The announcement was made by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, William Lobeck, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune.

Economists estimate another 590 additional indirect jobs will be created in the community as businesses begin to serve the newly located firm. Indirect and direct employment combined could ultimately mean as many as 1,290 jobs new jobs in the Tulsa area with an estimated combined annual payroll of more than $75 million.

"This announcement is particularly significant because National and Alamo are world headquarter operations that will require senior-level, professional employees," Gov. Henry said.

"With competition for these kinds of companies so fierce, our ability to attract such a firm is very important to our state's economy. We intend to work even harder to make Oklahoma the number one choice for the relocation of other out-of-state corporate headquarters."

Currently headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Lobeck said the company will gradually move its offices to Tulsa over the coming months. The move is expected to be completed by late 2004. The new Tulsa location will not be disclosed until lease negotiations for the building are complete.

"We have given very serious consideration to locating in various states, and Oklahoma clearly demonstrated they have what is necessary to be competitive with anyone," said Lobeck. "We looked at the cost of doing business, cost of facilities, quality of the workforce, educational system, work ethic and a number of other criteria and Oklahoma came out on top."

He said the firm plans to hire up to 700 new employees in Tulsa into such positions as accounting, advertising, claims handling, legal, marketing, sales, and other management and administrative positions.

Gov. Henry added that having another global firm in Tulsa will bring more business executives from around the world to the state. "We will use this opportunity to further expose Oklahoma's wonderful assets to these world travelers who might never come here otherwise, and that is a benefit that can't be measured," he said.

The Governor congratulated the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Tulsa leaders, and the Tulsa Metro Chamber for working hand in hand as a team to ensure the company's needs were addressed effectively. The commerce department is the Governor's lead economic development agency.

The National and Alamo brands operate in more than 3,200 locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia- Pacific, Africa and Australia. Privately held, the company has a combined fleet of 217,000 vehicles and employs 14,000 people worldwide.

Oklahoma has received national media attention over the last few months for its attractiveness to businesses looking to relocate. Oklahoma City and Tulsa were recently ranked among the "Hottest Cities for Business Relocation and Expansion in 2003" by site selection consultants across the country in the January issue of Expansion Management magazine; Oklahoma ranked third in the nation among America's "Top Ten Pro-Business States 2004" in a recent study by one of the country's top corporate site location experts; and Expansion Magazine named Oklahoma's workforce training program 4th best in the nation.

   For additional information contact:
   Kym Koch
   Press Secretary
   Gov. Brad Henry
   405-522-8862