In a time when the region faces almost nine percent unemployment, American Credit Financial this week announced plans to build a new call center in Wilmington. The call center will create about 70 new jobs and will open Nov. 1.

Dwayne Furmidge founded American Credit Financial and merged with a Dallas-area credit company three years ago. The call center was based in Plano, Texas, though over time Furmidge got tired of traveling back and forth to Texas.

“We want to grow,” Furmidge said of American Credit Financial. Since 2008 resulted in plunging home values and rising joblessness, Furmidge said business has exploded. The company offers credit optimization services for consumers who have fallen behind on payments. He needed to consolidate the company’s operations, and to do so he decided on Wilmington.

Furmidge signed a five-year lease yesterday for 7,800 square feet of office space at 2704 Exchange Drive. Brian Green at Cape Fear Commercial helped Furmidge find the space, and property owner Ken Dull played a key role in the finalization of the lease. He has promised city and county officials 70 jobs will be created by the new call center, but he has much higher hopes.

“Not all consumers are buyers. We’re after consumers who are viable and have been in the marketplace but who have hit some speed bumps,” Furmidge said. “Our goal is to make knowledgeable, performing consumers.”

Furmidge has seen success locally. Tim Milam, President of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, has worked with American Credit Financial for years. “They are a phenomenal company to work with,” he said. “They have helped a large number of clients to improve their credit so we’ve been able to sell them a home. They are very efficient.”

“We’ve used (American Credit Financial) extensively in the last year,” said Chris Hutchens of Alpha Mortgage. In 2009, Hutchens was the No. 1 mortgage lender in North Carolina, completing 469 loans worth more than $100 million. “(Furmidge) has probably helped 25 of my borrowers buy a house in the last 12 months.”

American Credit Financial has plans to continue to offer more services to consumers, from debt counseling to identity theft help.

“Credit optimization is the catalyst for other vertical markets. We’re not going to be able to help everybody, but they still need help. We want to provide an honorable referral rather than a future default.”