CHICAGO, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine has ranked Answer Center America (ACA) No. 2,478 on its fourth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Out of the top 100 Inc. 500/5000 companies in the Chicago Metro Region, ACA ranked No. 93. ACA, a leading provider of call center and answering service solutions, was recognized for a growth of 97 percent over the past three years.
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"The leaders of the companies on this year's Inc. 5000 have figured out how to grow their businesses during the longest recession since the Great Depression," said Inc. president Bob LaPointe. "The 2010 Inc. 5000 showcases a particularly hardy group of entrepreneurs."
ACA is a proven leader of business solutions for inbound and outbound contact center solutions. Companies repeatedly rely on ACA for excellence in customer service, cost-efficiency and cutting-edge technology. ACA showcases their innovation with the ability to customize services to accommodate the communication needs of today's technology driven world.
"As technology advances at a rapid pace, we are continually fine-tuning our services to accommodate new lines of communication that were previously unavailable," says Janet C. Livingston, chief executive officer (CEO) of ACA. "In the midst of a down turn economy; it's encouraging to know that ACA can continue to offer cost-saving services to help companies increase their bottom line."
The 2010 Inc. 5000, unveiled today on Inc.com, serves as a unique illustration of the profound changes taking place in the U.S. economy. The Government Services sector showed the biggest gain in terms of the number of companies on the list, up 33 percent from last year to 335 companies. Government Services was also the second-fastest-growing sector in terms of median revenue growth, posting a 202 percent gain over the 2006-2009 measuring period. More than half of these companies are based in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The fastest-growing sector by median revenue growth was Real Estate, now just a tiny group of 38 young, small companies, which showed 231 percent median growth over the period. (There were 121 Real Estate firms on the inaugural Inc. 5000 in 2007.) Business Products & Services is the top industry by number of companies on the list (640) and total revenue ($80.7 billion), while Health is the biggest by total employment (287,726 jobs).
Despite the fact that most of this year's measuring period of 2006-2009 took place during the latest recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $321.6 billion, up more than 50 percent from last year. The effects of the recession are seen, however, in the median three-year growth rate, which dropped to 96 percent from last year's 126 percent. This year's Inc. 5000 employ a record 1.4 million people, up from one million on last year's list. With unemployment remaining stubbornly high, policymakers and business leaders will do well to look to the Inc. 5000 companies for fresh ideas on achieving growth and creating jobs.
Methodology
The Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2005 through 2008. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by the first week of 2005, and therefore able to show four full calendar years of sales. Additionally, they have to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent -- not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies -- as of December 31, 2008. Revenue in 2005 must have been at least $200,000, and revenue in 2008 must have been at least $2 million. The top 10 percent of companies on the list comprise the Inc. 500, now in its 28th year.
About Inc. 5000
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures LLC, Inc. (www.inc.com) is the only major business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies that delivers real solutions for today's innovative company builders. With a total paid circulation of 712,961, Inc. provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing, and technology. Visit us online at Inc.com.
About Answer Center America, Inc.
Based in Chicago, Ill., Answer Center America, Inc. is an experienced partner in providing seamless call center and answering service solutions. Founded in 1995 by Janet Livingston, ACA has proven itself as an industry leader through cutting-edge technology, unwavering customer service, and customized services. For additional information, please visit www.goacanow.com.
SOURCE Answer Center America
For further information: Sarah Wilson, Marketing Coordinator of Answer Center America, 1-800-270-7030, swilson@acanow.com
