Jan. 30--Whitney Bank is accepting applications for up to 60 jobs at its new Prattville operations center, according to an announcement on the company's Web site Thursday.

Whitney announced about six months ago that it would open an operations center in Prattville that would complement the one that is already in Louisiana. Bank officials said then that they would open the Prattville center to move at least some of their information technology away from the Gulf Coast. The bank has had to curtail operations several times in recent years because of hurricanes.

Gene Crane, the president of the bank's Alabama region predicted it will be a good match for the bank and Prattville.

"We are excited that Whitney can bring these quality jobs to Prattville," he said in a news release issued by Prattville Mayor Jim Byard's office. "We look forward to all the people in the River Region recognizing how great a career can be at Whitney Bank."

The bank is recruiting at www.whitneybank.com and is looking primarily for information technology workers.

Whitney is spending $7.5 million to renovate the old Bank of Prattville building in the city's downtown area. It will use the bottom floor as a bank branch and put operations workers on the top two floors.

Byard praised the bank's investment in the town.

"During these tough economic times, Whitney's investment into the Daniel Pratt Historic District, coupled with their job growth, could not come at a better time," he said.

Byard said it is likely the bank will move some operations workers to Prattville from the Louisiana center but will hire most of the 60 new employees locally.

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