Governor Rick Scott announced that Global Business Solutions Inc. (GBSI), an innovator in information technology services and technical training, has announced a five-year plan that includes expanding corporate headquarters in the Pensacola area and hiring as many as 120 full-time employees with a projected annual average salary of $54,000.
Governor Scott said, “We are pleased that Global Business Solutions Inc. has chosen to expand their headquarters in Pensacola and create 120 new jobs for Florida families. Since December 2010, we have created over 330,000 private-sector jobs here in Florida and although we’ve experienced incredible success, we will not stop until every Floridian who wants a job can find one.”
Global Business Solutions was founded in 1995 and currently employs 110 Information Technology professionals in eight states. Corporate headquarters are located in Pensacola, Florida, with West Coast operations in the Seattle, Washington region. GBSI delivers tested and reliable IT services and cutting edge technical training to a wide array of government and commercial customers.
The announcement continues a growth trend that has seen the Pensacola-based tech firm featured on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies each of the last two years. In addition to strong performance in its government IT services and commercial training divisions, GBSI founder and CEO Randy Ramos credits the growing demand for the company’s Virtual Instructor-led Training (VILT) technology as one catalyst for the growth plan.
“Our VILT technology has emerged from the research and development stage and is now being implemented throughout our own GBSI training facilities, as well as in classrooms we provide for our largest commercial customers, including The Boeing Company,” said Ramos. “VILT classrooms offer a borderless learning environment that connects instructors with students anywhere in the world, and we expect the rapid expansion of this powerful technology to continue.”
Details of the jobs plan include hiring a mix of government contract support, commercial IT, training, and corporate support positions in the Pensacola region.
“GBSI’s commitment to grow its operations in our region, adding more than 100 jobs to our flourishing information technology and cybersecurity sectors, is validation of our region’s ever-progressing climate for success,” said Greater Pensacola Chamber President & CEO Jim Hizer. “We are pleased to be one step closer to reaching our Vision 2015 goal of 3,000 jobs, but because GBSI chose to expand here in Greater Pensacola — rather than expanding elsewhere — the real winner here will be our community.”
According to the company, two of Florida’s incentive programs aimed at increasing high-skill, high-wage jobs in-state were factors in moving the growth plan forward. GBSI qualified for awards from the Industry Recruitment, Retention and Expansion Fund (IRREF) Grant Program, which is administered by the University of West Florida.
“As the sponsor of the Oil Spill Recovery Act, I’m encouraged to see these funds used to add high quality jobs to northwest Florida,” said Senate President Don Gaetz. “The mission is to strengthen and diversify our regional economy with one solid deal after another.”
The company was also approved for a Florida Qualified Target Industry (QTI) tax refund as an incentive for creating the jobs.
“We would not be able to move forward at such rapid pace without these partnerships,” said Ramos. “As our company continues to grow across all divisions, I anticipate hiring and expansion plans will begin to move even more quickly.”
Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida Gray Swoope said, “Enterprise Florida remains committed to enhancing Florida’s economy by actively helping companies like Global Business Solutions expand in the state. Global Business Solutions’ continued growth and investment in the region is a testament to Florida’s competitiveness and supportive business climate. We are thrilled that they have chosen to grow in Pensacola.”
DEO Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “We are pleased that Global Business Solutions is further investing in our state and our workforce by creating more than 100 high-skill, high-wage jobs in the Pensacola area. The information technology industry is experiencing increased job growth across the state, along with seven other industries, due to this administration’s commitment to getting Floridians back to work.”
Organizations that were instrumental in facilitating this expansion plan were Enterprise Florida Inc., the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Greater Pensacola Chamber, and UWF’s Office of Economic Development.
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