[Satellite TODAY 07-14-10] Globalstar will be relocating its corporate headquarters, including its international customer care operations and call center, finance, accounting, sales, marketing and corporate communications departments to Covington, La., the company announced July 13.
    Globalstar said the relocation is expected to create close to 150 jobs in Covington by the end of 2011, increasing to 200 jobs by 2013 and a total of more than 490 by 2018. The company expects to take advantage of Louisiana’s reimbursement of relocation costs plus a commercial lease subsidy for its new corporate headquarters and future tax credits associated with a host of state programs.
    “Today’s announcement is a big win for Covington, the North Shore and our whole state. This is exactly the kind of company that we positioned Louisiana to secure when we created Louisiana FastStart in 2008 and enhanced our digital media incentive program in 2009. Since early 2008, leading companies have announced moves of their headquarters or other significant operations to Louisiana from a wide variety of states, including California, Georgia, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon and Texas,” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement.
    Globalstar plans to maintain its network operations including its satellite and ground operations control centers in California.
    Separately, Globalstar named Dirk Wild senior vice president of finance and will promote Wild to CFO in mid-August. Wild previously served as senior vice president and CFO for The Shaw Group Inc. Wild replaces CFO Fuad Ahmad, who was unable to relocate to Louisiana due to family reasons. Ahmad will remain with the company as senior vice president of corporate development and strategy.