CGI Troy held an internal kickoff lunch celebration Thursday for the employees involved in a new project that goes live Monday.

“This (project) is a large contact center for one or more of our major clients,” said George Tarbox, CGI director of operations.

More than 175 employees were hired for the expansion, and the project will continue to grow. Tarbox said a new training center is in the works to be constructed in University Park and is possible thanks in part to the support of the City of Troy and Troy University.

“Mayor Jason Reeves was behind us the whole way, and Gen. Walter Givan and Dr. Greg Price from the university played a huge role and made sacrifices so that we had the space for the project,” Tarbox said.

Givan said that the university wants to remain involved in the project and help with its expansion in any way possible.

“We will stay actively engaged with everything that is going on in here,” Givan said. “I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Reeves reflected times that CGI was not even considering entering Troy and said that Troy has come a long way since its arrival.

“The promises that I made six years ago, we delivered in 30 days,” Reeves said to the employees. “You are working directly for the best there is. This is a great team you have joined.”

Mark Eschle, vice president of CGI, said this project has come a long way since its beginning.

“The last time I was in Troy, this was a conference room,” Eshcle said to the new employees. “The amount of work that has gone into this is just incredible.”

Eschle said the new project would not have been possible without teamwork.

“Without working together as a team, we would have never gotten here,” Eshcle said. “We have to do our own job first, but we have to make sure we help each other out.”

John Manta, who will oversee the project, said that these types of jobs are hard to come by.

“You don’t get these jobs every day,” Manta said. “These people are changing lives. The job comes with a very emotional customer base, and it’s very rewarding.”