PANAMA CITY, FL — (Marketwired) — 11/19/13 — Governor Rick Scott today announced that iSirona, an information technology company which provides solutions for medical device integration, will expand its operations in Panama City, creating 300 new jobs and a capital investment of $2.25 million.
Governor Scott said, “iSirona-s expansion in Panama City will create 300 jobs which is great news for Florida families. For its expansion, iSirona considered other locations like California, Texas and Virginia, but chose Florida for our great business climate. There have been more than 365,000 private-sector jobs created in the last two years and our unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in five years. Florida provides job creators with a great workforce and the opportunity for growth, but we still have more work to do to build a diverse economy that will create jobs for generations to come.”
Established in 2008 and headquartered in Panama City, iSirona helps clinicians make more informed decisions about patients by providing an easy-to-use approach for medical device integration. iSirona was ranked “One of America-s Most Promising Companies” in 2013 by Forbes magazine and as the fifth fastest-growing private company in U.S. healthcare in 2012 by Inc. Magazine.
Since the beginning of 2012, iSirona has grown from 31 employees to over 180, and this expansion will triple its workforce to more than 400 employees.
Dave Dyell, CEO of iSirona, said, “We consider Florida and Panama City to be partners in iSirona-s success. We continue to be pleased with the statewide commitment to nurture the high-tech sector; our outstanding universities and community colleges that are wonderful resources; and our ability to recruit top talent that appreciates the local lifestyle. We are delighted that our ongoing success is bringing more high-value jobs to Panama City.”
The company received a $1.5 million grant from the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund (IRREF) Grant Program, which is administered by the University of West Florida. The IRREF Grant Program was created as a result of S.B. 2156, authored by Senate President Don Gaetz. The Oil Spill Recovery Act was an important component of S.B. 2156. The Act allots $10 million per year for three years to eight Northwest Florida counties for the purposes of research and development, commercialization of research, economic diversification and job creation.
“iSirona could be in Silicon Valley but because of the highly competitive business incentives created by Florida-s Legislature and Governor Scott, they are located in what they like to call Silicon Bay in Northwest Florida,” said Senate President Don Gaetz. “Helping our successful businesses stay and expand sends the right message to private sector job creators looking to expand or relocate to Florida and is key to Northwest Florida-s continued recovery from the impacts of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill.”
Representative Marti Coley said, “Governor Scott and his team have worked hard to make Florida more welcoming to innovators, and today we-re seeing the fruits of their labor. By providing 300 good jobs, iSirona will further put our community on the map as a great place for business.”
Representative Jimmy Patronis said, “iSirona-s expansion means 300 new jobs and opportunities for families in Panama City. I want to thank Governor Scott and the local economic development team for making Panama City a great place for businesses to succeed.”
is one of the largest in the U.S, with some 12,600 firms. Nearly half of the 80,000+ professionals who work in the field are employed by software development firms, and the remaining working in related technology-intensive industries throughout the state.
Secretary of Commerce and president & CEO of Enterprise Florida Gray Swoope said, “The consolidation of iSirona-s operations in Panama City is telling of the proactivity of the high-tech industry in Florida. The strong research and development network and exceptional workforce in Florida will help companies like iSirona continue their product development and successful innovation.”
This project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the University of West Florida, Bay County Economic Development Alliance, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, City of Panama City, Bay County Board of County Commissioners, and the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
“This is a great day for Bay County,” said Chairman Guy Tunnell, Bay County Board of County Commissioners. “It-s gratifying to see locally based businesses prosper and expand. We-re thrilled about the fact that we-ve been able to work together with other entities to create a business-friendly environment in which iSirona feels confident and comfortable to move forward.”
“iSirona has been an integral part of the downtown Panama City fabric and, now with this significant growth, will continue to be a catalyst to help complete the redevelopment of the downtown area,” said Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki.
“iSirona is known for its innovation and user friendly medical device integration, and their expansion to Panama City adds to the continually growing list of information technology companies that have found Florida-s pro-business climate a perfect fit for their company,” said Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “Company expansions like iSirona-s are an integral part of Florida-s economic turnaround.”
Jodi Amendola
(850) 717-9282
You must be logged in to post a comment Login