CCOA Becomes Take Charge America

Credit Counseling Company Occupies New Facility

PHOENIX, Ariz. (March 28, 2003) - Michael Hall, president and founder of Credit Counselors of America, Inc.® (CCOA) has announced that the company has changed its name to Take Charge America, Inc. ® (TCA) and has constructed a new 120,000 square foot facility located at 20620 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix. The company will begin transitioning to the Take Charge America name immediately.

"Take Charge America accurately describes our mission as a company,” said Hall. “As a nonprofit organization, our company is committed to helping all consumers learn to take charge of their finances by understanding and applying the core principles of personal financial management. Our goal is to help all Americans achieve financial literacy and financial freedom.”

Hall also described the company’s new office building, stating, “We saw a need in the Phoenix metro area for a facility that would not only provide state-of-the-art technology and growth opportunity for our national servicing center, but also provide the community with a training facility for financial literacy. We hope to team with area businesses by offering training programs for employees who wish to improve their credit and plan for their financial future. We can offer classes in our facility and through online training programs broadcast from our offices, in addition to offering classes in the offices of our business partners. Education is a key component of our nonprofit mission and this facility will help us meet that goal.”

Since its establishment in the Valley in 1987, TCA has grown from 3 employees to nearly 350. The new facility has the capacity to hold 700 TCA employees. Based on current growth, TCA should reach capacity in this office within 4 years. The 21.5-acre site includes plans for a Phase Two building to be completed in time to accommodate the company’s continued growth beyond the capacity of the existing facility.

"The Northwest Valley continues to grow and we are pleased to be a part of the expanding business community,” said Hall. "TCA has experienced a tremendous amount of growth in the last few years. Our new office complex will provide us with the capacity to expand services to meet the growing local and national demand. The new location will also be more accessible for our customers and employees."

Chestnut Construction, based in Tucson, Ariz., was the general contractor and GDA Southwest LLC, was the architectural firm for the project. Phase One includes a two-story building featuring an open court entry with light infusion throughout. The glass and steel building includes a customer service center that will allow for face-to-face customer interaction.

Additionally, the new office complex features a 10,000 square foot cafeteria complete with multiple hot food lines, a salad bar, ice cream bar and a unique grab-and-go concept where employees can stop by on their way home and purchase milk or ready-made meals. Robert Smith, of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and former pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton is the executive chef for TCA's cafeteria. The café is operated by Sodexho, USA and can service up to 1,700 people. A lounge, complete with leather seating and a plasma screen television, provides a comfortable setting for the company’s employees to relax.

“One of our goals in designing this building was to create an inviting environment that would allow us to attract and retain top employees,” said Hall. “Their work can be quite stressful as they deal with real problems for families who are facing job layoffs, illnesses and other crises that can lead to serious financial difficulties. We want our employees to have a comfortable environment in which to work and restore themselves as they provide this invaluable service.”

Founded in 1987, Take Charge America, Inc.® is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. TCA is committed to helping consumers gain control of their finances through education, counseling, and when necessary, debt management. Each year, TCA's diversified programs are utilized by nearly 200,000 households nationwide (including military personnel overseas).

For more information about Take Charge America, please contact Michael Sullivan at 623-266-6112.