Onshoring: Keeping Jobs In Rural AmericaOnshoring: Keeping Jobs In Rural America

'I never said offshoring is bad,' Rural Sourcing's White says. 'I just feel there's also a place for onshoring at a low cost. I believe in a global economy that includes U.S. workers.'

Paul McDougall, Editor At Large, information

May 6, 2005

2 Min Read
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Kathy WhiteKathy White's IT career has taken her from her home state of Arkansas to the Midwest. Now she's back in Arkansas as founder and CEO of Rural Sourcing Inc. Here are excerpts from information's recent discussion with White on the offshoring controversy and why she launched Rural Sourcing.

information: What was the impetus behind your decision to launch Rural Sourcing?

White: I thought, "If we can outsource to India, why can't we outsource to Arkansas?" We have a lot of talented people graduating from colleges in smaller communities who are looking for work. So why can't we have these people graduate and stay where they are?

information: Are you looking to put a stop to offshoring?

White: I never said offshoring is bad. I just feel there's also a place for onshoring at a low cost. I believe in a global economy that includes U.S. workers.

information: Why did you believe Arkansas would be a good base for the company?

White: As a CIO in the mid-'90s, I would hire people, and they wouldn't stay. People were always jumping ship to go somewhere else for 30% more. So I started looking to my alma mater [Arkansas State University] to get good soldiers that I thought would be loyal. I set up an internship program, and that was the genesis of Rural Sourcing.

information: What other business advantages do you believe smaller communities can offer?

White: There's an opportunity to build a national business with good talent and low costs. It's like Wal-Mart and Southwest Airlines. You're using an untapped employee base, and you're going where other people aren't.

information: Are you confident you can attract and retain qualified executives to lead the company?

White: Our position is that we can offer people that work for us as much disposable income as they would have in the big cities. People are willing to relocate for the quality of life, and we also can entice people from the area to return.

information: Could someone from New York or San Francisco adapt to life in Arkansas?

White: What a lot of people hear about the South are myths. People ask me, "Is there anybody smart down there?" It's a shame that there are still people in America that hang on to those perceptions.

information: Do you think you will win contracts because you offer a "Made in America" alternative?

White: At the end of the day, it's going to be quality and good work that wins us business. But I would like to think there will be some people who will give us a shot because we're in America. We're already seeing some of that because they think it's the right thing to do.

Return to main story, Onshore Outsourcing: Made In America

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Paul McDougall

Editor At Large, information

Paul McDougall is a former editor for information.

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