An information technology outsourcing firm focused on expanding in rural communities will invest $1.05 million to create an office in North Wilkesboro that it expects will employ 150 workers.

Provalus was founded in 2017 in Brewton, Alabama, and now has six locations in five states, and four more in development, including the one in North Wilkesboro. Provalus located in the eastern North Carolina town of Whiteville in 2023, and has followed through on their promises, says Gary Lanier, who helped recruit the company there as director of the Columbus County Economic Development Commission.

“They’re a great company,” says Lanier. “Their whole model is to go into a rural community that could use an economic shot in the arm.”

He says the company has become involved in the community and continues to work with Whiteville on expansion. When the company arrived, it promised county officials they’d employ 150 people within three years, Lanier says. Provalus already has between 50 and 60 employees and remains in a “constant hiring mode” for another 60 workers to start in February 2025. Lanier says he believes the company will exceed its promise of 150 new jobs.

“We here in Columbus County are very pleased,” says Lanier.

Provalus is a mission-oriented company dedicated to creating “technology opportunities” in areas where few have existed. It aims to develop talent in rural areas with a strong number of military veterans.

In North Wilkesboro, Provalus plans to upfit an existing office space, allowing the company to meet growing demand from clients in the areas of cybersecurity, application development and network operations, among other areas. In Whiteville, Provalus has part of its operations in a former drug store.

“Establishing our second North Carolina Center of Excellence in North Wilkesboro is a meaningful step forward in our mission to create opportunities that revitalize rural American communities,” said Mike Keogh, president of Provalus, in a statement. “This expansion allows us to tap into the region’s exceptional talent, fostering job creation and economic growth that will benefit both the local community and the broader region. We’re proud to deepen our roots in North Carolina and invest in the potential of this remarkable area.”

The average salary for the jobs in North Wilkesboro will be $45,852. The current average wage in Wilkes County is $45,819.

A performance-based grant of $150,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Provalus’ project, based on the company’s investment and the creation of 150 jobs over three years.

Wilkes County government and the town of North Wilkesboro have completed an inter-local agreement allowing the town to purchase property for $2.2 million and lease the property to Provalus with an option to purchase.