Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 30, 1993                   TAG: 9309300117
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

Retired Persons Services Inc., the mail-order drug company to begin Roanoke operations next month, said Wednesday it will pay its customer service representatives $5.25 to $6.70 an hour, depending on the hours they work.

The company will open Oct. 15 in the former Sears Telecatalog Center on Thirlane Road with about 800 part-time employees. Employees will take telephone medication orders from members of the American Association of Retired Persons, retired military personnel and members of the Epilepsy Foundation.

Thomas McVaney, manager, said the highest pay will go to people who work at peak order time - 7 a.m. until noon. AARP members do most of their ordering early in the day.

Majorie Skidmore, head of the Virginia Employment Commission's office in Roanoke, called the $5.25-to-$6.70 salary "competitive." She said telemarketing jobs in Roanoke generally pay $5 to $6.50 an hour, depending on the required skill level. - MAG POFF \

Briefly . . .

\ The Kroger Co., Cincinnati-based supermarket chain, said Wednesday it will redeem its 15 1/2 percent junior subordinated discount debentures due 2008 with about $500 million. The debentures were issued in 1988 as part of the dividend paid with its financial restructuring.

\ McCormick & Co. Inc., Sparks, Md., parent of Golden West Foods Inc. of Bedford, said it has formed a joint venture with CPC International Inc. and Rabobank Nederland to create European Spice Partners B.V., a herb and spice business with retail and food service operations in Europe.