ATLANTA and SAN FRANCISCO: GCI Group has made another round of
layoffs, this time largely centering around the Atlanta and San
Francisco offices.
Ken Willis, president of GCI Atlanta, confirmed that 11 jobs have been
cut in the Atlanta office. Additional layoffs occurred in San Francisco
last week, and sources say that nine people were affected. It is said
that other offices were affected as well, but a spokeswoman said, "We
are not engaging in sharing any further information."
The Atlanta reductions were part of staggered layoffs that began in Q3
with junior staffers and then spread to senior levels, including account
supervisors and VPs. The head count now stands at 104, down from
115.
Willis said the cuts were the result of business that failed to
materialize.
"We started out the year intentionally overstaffed because we were
investing to grow," said Willis. "But we haven't grown the way we have
in past years of 30 to 40 percent."
GCI Atlanta suffered some high-profile account losses this year, but
Willis said he had factored the BellSouth and American Cancer Society
losses into his planning for 2001.
