Bank One is to hire 600 information technology professionals in Chicago and Columbus over the next three months as it accelerates major initiatives to enhance customer service.
The bank says it will focus its hiring on applications and project management, ranging from systems and client server engineers to Web developers and development systems architects.
Austin Adams, who became Bank One's chief information officer in March, says: "It is essential to continue to invest in people and technology, even in challenging economic times. In fact, we have an unparalleled opportunity to attract high-performing technology people so we can handle a greater proportion of our technology needs in-house."
Bank One, which spends approximately $2 billion on technology annually, has hired several other key executives this year, including James Ditmore, formerly chief information officer of Ameritrade, and Maureen Osborne, formerly chief information officer of Heller Financial.
The bank's technology plans include integrating its three major systems into one main customer information and deposit platform, Bank One Best; unifying its customer information systems to provide a comprehensive national view of customer and product relationships; and developing internal expertise to maintain the company's technology and to design, build and launch new service features and enhancements, including ramping up e-commerce initiatives.