Governor Rick Scott announced that ConnectWise will expand its headquarters in Hillsborough County, creating 112 new jobs and $1.28 million in capital investment by 2016.

Governor Scott said, “The expansion of ConnectWise’s headquarters and creation of more than 100 new jobs is great news for families in the Tampa area. We work every day to make sure that Florida is the best state in the nation for businesses to grow and create more opportunities for Florida families. ConnectWise could have expanded in California or Washington, but chose Florida because we’re creating an opportunity economy where businesses can succeed and grow jobs for families.”

ConnectWise is the number one business management platform worldwide, made for companies that sell, service, and support technology. The company platform fully integrates business-process automation, help desk and customer service, sales, marketing, project management, and business analytics that dramatically streamline a company’s operations. With more than 80,000 users relying on ConnectWise to achieve greater accountability, operational efficiency, and profitability, the company is expanding to meet its increased growth.

“We are very excited to continue to build our company in Florida and contribute to the state’s economic engine,” said Arnie Bellini, ConnectWise CEO. “As a technology company committed to innovation, we know how crucial it is to hire and retain highly-skilled individuals, which is why we continuously recruit the best and the brightest from universities right here in Florida. Our partners are our number one priority and we will continue to grow as they grow to ensure their profitability and success well into the future.”

ConnectWise is headquartered in Tampa and currently employs more than 330 individuals at its George Road and Independent Parkway facilities. The 112 new jobs will consist of positions in sales, human resources, accounting, marketing, and most notably, software engineering.  To accommodate the anticipated growth, the company plans to outfit and occupy an additional 10,000 square feet in the Westshore Business District by 2015.

Florida is ranked third in the nation for high-tech establishments, and the Florida High Tech Corridor, anchored by the Tampa Bay region, has been named one of the top tech job hot spots in the U.S.  In addition, the state’s software and computer systems design and integration industry is one of the largest in the U.S., with nearly 12,600 firms. Software development firms employ almost half of the more than 80,000 professionals who work in the field, with the rest engaged in related technology-intensive industries throughout the state.

“When an industry leader like ConnectWise announces they’re expanding their headquarters in your state, you know you have a strong and supportive economy in place,” said Gray Swoope, President & CEO of Enterprise Florida. “We’ve worked hard to expand and diversify Florida’s economy, and expansions like this show that Florida has the perfect climate for business. This expansion will add value to the state’s robust IT sector and we look forward to the company’s continued success.”

The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, CareerSource Florida and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

“With this expansion, ConnectWise offers additional proof that we’re creating a globally competitive business climate. One that not only attracts companies, but provides the necessary support and resources to help our existing businesses grow and prosper,” said the Hon. Mark Sharpe, Chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.

“We’re the fastest-growing economy in Florida, thanks to the success of companies like ConnectWise,” said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “They could have made the decision to locate these jobs anywhere, but they chose to stay in Tampa. This is a big win for our community.”

“As a leader in the IT industry, ConnectWise sends a strong message about the quality and availability of our workforce by selecting Tampa for this expansion,” said Allen Brinkman, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and Chairman, President & CEO of SunTrust Bank Tampa Bay. “Keeping jobs like these in our community is critical, and it wouldn’t happen without the commitment of our state and local partners.”

“The remarkable success in Florida of IT firms like ConnectWise underscores our commitment to growing high-skill, high-wage opportunities for Floridians and ensuring our state’s talent pool has the right skills for the right industries, both today and tomorrow,” said Chris Hart IV, President & CEO of CareerSource Florida.

In January, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Tampa City Council approved a combined local incentive package of $112,000, supporting a commitment of $448,000 from the State of Florida through the State’s Qualified Target Industry (QTI) program. The total QTI allocation of $560,000 will provide the company with $5,000 per job for the newly created, high-wage headquarters positions. The incentives are performance-based, meaning funds are only paid after the jobs are created at the wages promised.  The incentivized jobs will offer highly competitive pay.

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the ConnectWise.com/Careers for more information on available positions, and the experience and skills the company is seeking in prospective employees.

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