SCHUMER ANNOUNCES THAT CRFS IN ORLEANS COUNTY HAS CLOSED ON LEASE AT FORMER CHASE BUILDING IN ALBION NEARLY HALF OF FORMER JPMC ALBION EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN REHIRED - SENATOR HAS BEEN MAJOR ADVOCATE OF CRFS IN LIGHT OF JP MORGAN CHASES SUDDEN CLOSURE OF ITS ALBION FACILITY

Today, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced a major development for the future growth of Claims Recovery Financial Services (CRFS) in Orleans County - the former Chase building in Albion will be the new home of CRFS. Schumer also announced that important progress has been made in the rehiring and transitioning of former JPMC Albion workers. Schumer has been a major advocate of CRFS, particularly following JP Morgan Chase's unexpected and sudden announcement in June that it would close its Albion, NY mortgage service center by September. Schumer personally called on JPMC CEO Jamie Dimon to both give Albion workers top preference for available JPMC positions in Rochester and to work with CRFS in its plans to grow and add jobs in related fields of loan servicing and claims processing in order to help lessen the impact of the Albion facility's closure. Schumer commended CEO Dimon, who at Schumer's recommendation agreed to be flexible in the transition of employees seeking new positions at CRFS in a number of respects: by working directly with CRFS CEO Jodi Gaines, staggering separation dates, tasking top JPMC officials to coordinate with CRFS on a job fair, and by helping accommodate the transfer of the Chase building to CRFS, which paves the way for the addition of 150 additional new jobs.

As a result of these efforts, Schumer revealed today that JPMC has now placed 110 former Albion employees in new positions at JP Morgan Chase's Rochester location, keeping these important local jobs in Western New York. Additionally, there have been 5 onsite job fairs in Albion that brought more than 25 local employers to meet with workers about job opportunities, including companies like GEICO, Yahoo, Paychex, and AMS Servicing. In addition to the 55 former Chase employees hired to date at CRFS, employers like GEICO have offered positions to 10 former Albion employees and AMS Servicing in Buffalo has made offers to 35 former Chase workers and 28 accepted. AMS is still looking to fill up to 75 new positions over the coming months providing more hiring opportunities for jobs that require comparable skills. Schumer noted that this is significant progress in lessening the impact of the JPMC layoffs that occurred in June, and Schumer will continue to fight for the hiring of more individuals. CRFS is now the largest private sector employer in Orleans county with 668 workers company wide, including over 598 employees in Orleans County.

"Even though the closing of the Albion facility was a shock to the workers and the surrounding community, I went straight to the top to urge CEO Jamie Dimon to help make lemonade out of lemons, and today we are seeing the results," said Schumer. "Now, CRFS has stepped up to the plate and hired 55 former Albion Chase employees, and with their expansion into the former Chase building, they will have the infrastructure to expand further and hire 150 additional workers. Plus, JPMC has rehired over one hundred employees at their Rochester location, and other local companies have snatched up these talented workers. We're not out of the woods yet, but I am proud of the progress we've made in finding new jobs for these workers and I'm optimistic that, with CRFS and CEO Jodi Gaines at our side, we can foster further job growth in Orleans County."

After the closing of the Albion facility was slated for the end of September, Schumer fought to help employees transition to new jobs. Schumer called JPMC CEO Dimon immediately to urge that he help ensure that the vast majority of employees get new jobs, and that the firm be as flexible as possible in working with local companies that could hire Albion workers, like CRFS. Schumer said that to JP Morgan Chase's credit, they were willing to hold both internal and external job fairs, prioritize Albion employees for job openings at Chase's nearby Rochester facility, and were flexible in staggering the layoffs of employees who were offered and accepted jobs at CRFS.

Schumer today joined CRFS CEO Jodi Gaines in announcing that the former Chase building in Albion will be the future home of CRFS. The new building will allow CRFS to expand its services and hire up to 150 new workers, making it the largest privatesector employer in Orleans County.

CRFS handles postforeclosure loan servicing and claims processing, mostly for big banks but also for investors and other financial services clients. Jodi Gaines founded CRFS out of her kitchen in 2002 and she now employs 598 workers in Orleans County and with the new longterm lease of the former Chase building in Albion, the company is looking to expand significantly.