By Steve Mocarsky, The Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — The downtown Wilkes-Barre offices of eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions have become the company’s new headquarters, and an expansion plan now includes the addition of even more jobs than projected just four months ago.
Banneker Partners and a company owned by the Permira funds announced on Monday night the successful completion of a $925 million acquisition of eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions from eBay Inc.
And on Tuesday, eBay Enterprise co-founder Mike Jones called it “a pretty big event” for the area.
“We’ve officially moved the headquarters of eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions to Wilkes-Barre,” said Jones, who was named company CEO on Monday.
“In the past, the majority of employees were hired in the King of Prussia and New York offices. Going forward, the majority of hiring will be taking place in this area,” Jones said.
Currently, the King of Prussia office has 115 employees, with the Wilkes-Barre office trailing at 90 — 10 more than in June, when Jones announced plans for the company expansion that included the addition of 35 to 40 new jobs locally. Now, Jones said, the plan is to hire 50-plus employees at the Wilkes-Barre office over the next 12 to 18 months — in addition to the 10 new hires.
The company, which sells and promotes products and services online for companies in return for a commission, also has smaller offices across the United States and around the world in locations including San Francisco, Tempe, Arizona; London; Sydney, Australia and Toronto.
The local office, located in the Innovation Center @ Wilkes-Barre on South Main Street, just off Public Square, represents “the most successful piece of growth” for the company and “is at the center of our new growth strategy,” Jones said.
“I cannot overstate how much the role of Wilkes-Barre has played in the growth and success of the company,” he said, adding that the positions being created are “high-paying jobs coveted by by individuals coming out of universities today.”
Jones, who who co-founded the online startup Pepperjam that became eBay Enterprise, said in July that he recruited 80 percent of his staff from the local universities.
Jones also announced in June that eBay Enterprise signed a five-year lease with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce to stay in the Innovation Center, where the offices will occupy 12,000 square feet, including a 3,000-square-foot expansion on the third floor.
