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McCook Gazette

Grand Island man drumming up interest in call center plan

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

GRAND ISLAND -- A Grand Island man wants two Nebraska communities -- McCook and someone else -- to compete for a customer call center that could create 600 new jobs and a $25 million annual payroll within 5 years.

Gary Kelsch envisions in McCook a regional or national call center that would service the security patrol business he proposes to start in Lincoln and Omaha before going nation-wide.

Kelsch said he is seeking $125,000 in start-up funding to begin advertising the patrol services offered by his company called "Pinnacle One Security LLC." With sign-ups from 7,500 people, Kelsch said, "I can get $1.2 million in bank financing for the full set-up of Lincoln's operation."

"As I expand my security patrol service nationwide, I will put a national or regional customers call center in McCook," Kelsch said. He plans to start with six individuals by October, he said, and add additional personnel as needed over the next 5 years. "This center will employ 600 people in $22/hour jobs, with a $25 million annual payroll within 4 1 /2 years -- what I call controlled growth," Kelsch said.

Kelsch believes that up to 80 percent of all American homes and businesses will sign up for his security service in seven to eight years.

"To help you understand what we do," Kelsch said, "we drive vehicles with a strong resemblance to a sheriff's patrol car and patrol through residential neighborhoods and around businesses 24 hours a day, seven days a week That's what our customers like. We prevent, not react."

Kelsch said that Pinnacle One is a low-cost, highly-effective solution to the threat of burglary and vandalism.

Kelsch said he plans to hire retired or former law enforcement personnel with good records for supervisory patrol positions. All state and local managers will have law enforcement, security and business management experience, he said.

Patrol officers would wear uniforms similar to sheriff's departments and drive new or current model full-sized Ford Crown Victories detailed with decals similar to sheriff's departments' signage. All this "is quite legal," Kelsch said, as long as badges, patches and vehicle decals state "SECURITY."

The more customers Pinnacle One has on a city block, the shorter its patrol officers' "pass by" times will be, Kelsch said. "We monitor police calls and, in some cases, can respond within 90 seconds to lend assistance until police arrive," he said. "Our purpose is to observe and report."

Kelsch continued, "My security patrol service is very low-tech, but extremely professional and profitable. We could be doing several billion dollars a year in gross revenue within five years. I have the potential to sign up and maintain 25 million customers within nine years."

Kelsch foresees very high demand, with little or no competition nation-wide. "With my highly-effective strategy, I can be very successful," he said.

For more information, contact Kelsch at (308) 382-6750.

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  • Im not sure this is such a good idea. If these patrol "officers" have no powers of arrest, or the authority to safely detain a suspect, thier presence will most likely not deter anyone from mischief. They are just an eye witness. Monitoring police radio traffic and responding to calls, regardless of the intention, is dangerous for the untrained security personnel, the police, and the suspected criminal. Sounds like a bunch of lawsuits to defend. The money would be much better spent in McCook by putting more trained police officers on the payroll, and let the wannabe cops continue to patrol the malls and warehouses in Lincoln and Omaha.

    -- Posted by seentoomuch on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 1:33 PM

  • 80% of America?? I give you credit for thinking big, but at least try to be realistic

    -- Posted by norm on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 1:48 PM

  • Does anything strike you odd that someone wants to put the call center in McCook when he wants to launch the business in Lincoln and Omaha? Has anyone done any background on Mr. Kelsch and his company to find out the legitamacy? This guy wants McCook for fork over $125,000 for starting up his business? Do we get that back? Seems to me like the City Council better do some major investigation before Mr. Kelsch gets any of our money. You're right STM, invest the $125K into our own police force to take care of people right here in McCook instead of spending $125K for security in Lincoln and Omaha.

    -- Posted by FNLYHOME on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 2:19 PM

  • Please check this guy out - I beg of anyone-before you give him a penny. He has tried to raise money all over the state for all kinds of ventures. He has been doing this for over 25 years and I don't think he has done anything except take money from "investors". He has been "close" to opening this security firm for at least 5 years.

    -- Posted by beentheregottheshirt on Thu, Jan 22, 2009, at 10:52 AM

  • This "business plan" sounds very suspicious and I hope McCook does it's proper due diligence before shelling out any money.

    1. I don't know any product that will capture 80% of the consumer market. That is highly unlikely and his math does not add up. 80% of the U.S. consumer market would be around 240 MILLION customers, yet he states "the potential to sign up 25 million within 9 years".

    2. Mr. Kelsch foresees little or no competition? How about subdivisions that already have security, apartment complexes, cities and neigborhoods with low crime rates. How about rising gas prices for all of his "patrol" cars.

    3. $22 per hour for call center employees is unheard of. I would guess the average hourly employee in McCook is not more than $10 per hour so from a business perspective why would you go into a market offering a salary which is double the standard (i'm not buying it).

    Total Scam or a very poor Business Plan.

    -- Posted by yeahc'mon on Thu, Jan 22, 2009, at 12:10 PM

  • Hmm??? Looks like another party has a bill of goods for sale. Like the helicopter company that the county got hooked into.

    This would be a bad investment. And if it was good, why don't they give and intent to rent a space in the "new" Keystone?? Oops! The Keystone isn't a very good investment either.

    McCook doesn't need a security company. We have city, county, and state police here. And the citizens will be here to help until law enforcement arrives. What we don't need is some half-baked security guard that thinks he's a cop. Any good, former law enforcement officer would be in something worthwile and not work for a fly by night company.

    -- Posted by edbru on Wed, Jan 28, 2009, at 6:17 PM
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