TLCx, customer experience (CX) outsourcing provider located in Cedar Rapids, announced its relocation to University of Iowa Research Park in Coralville.

“For the past 25 years, we have operated (first) Access Direct, and now TLCx from our corporate headquarters in Cedar Rapids, [Iowa],” said Thomas Cardella, founder and CEO, in a release. “As a global company, with operations in the United States, Latin America, India, and Asia, Cedar Rapids has served us well. With the BPO industry transforming rapidly, and technology becoming more prevalent, we felt that the transition to the University of Iowa Research Park will serve us better in the years to come. The proximity to a world-class university and the resources available will be critical to the services and products TLCx delivers to our Fortune 500 client base.”

The company, a third-party business process outsourcer (BPO), has 14 locations worldwide and employs more than 1,500 individuals. The locations span Iowa, Texas, New Mexico and Georgia, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, India and the Philippines.

Mr. Cardella founded TLCx in 2007 as TLC Associates, rebranding in January 2024 to reflect the shift in the CX landscape, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, the company said in a previous release.

Mr. Cardella was named the University of Iowa Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022, has been an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner and finalist five times, and has received numerous awards including a Gold Stevie Award for Contact Center Leader of the Year, and an International Stevie Award for People Focused CEO of the Year.