THURSDAY August 29, 2019
How The Copper Closet started — and what’s next PAGE 9
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BUILDING THE Daily Record WORKFORCE JACKSONVILLE
What Northeast Florida’s institutions of higher learning are doing to meet the needs of business.
SoFi, SS&C to create 498 jobs in Jacksonville
Governor announces identities of IT companies approved for incentives as projects Quail and Liberty.
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
talent pipeline we need to support the businesses we have and bring new business to the area,” she said. Lebesch works with local institutions of higher education — Edward Waters College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida — to help coordinate curriculums to match the demand for qualified potential employees. “Our colleges and universities under-
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that two international information technology companies will create a combined 498 jobs in Jacksonville, disclosing the names of Project Quail and Project Liberty. SoFi, a California-based online personal finance company, has been seeking $1.5 million in state and city incentives through the Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program as code-named Project Quail to establish its DeSantis southeastern operations center and create 300 jobs in Jacksonville. DeSantis also announced SS&C Technologies as Project Liberty. Under that name, the international IT and software company asked for $990,000 in QTI incentives to add 198 jobs to its existing local workforce. DeSantis made the announcement during the Enterprise Florida board of directors meeting at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel. The governor linked the Florida expansion of the San Franciscobased companies to a broader shift by technology and financial service firm away from higher taxes, living expenses and housing prices their employees experience in markets like California.
SEE WORKFORCE, PAGE 10
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JACKSONVILLE
Photo by Max Marbut
Florida State College at Jacksonville President John Avendano is devoting much of his time to meeting with the area’s CEOs. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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here are many reasons businesses consider Northeast Florida for a headquarters, facility or expansion. There’s the businessfriendly tax environment and municipal government, the port, logistics infrastructure, commercial real estate opportunities, the climate and the quality of life.
Another of the region’s business development assets is its workforce. “‘What’s the talent like?’ is one of the first questions a company asks when considering Jacksonville,” said JAXUSA Partnership Vice President of Talent Development Anna Lebesch. The chamber’s business development division created the position this year to connect residents to career opportunities and attract skilled workers to the region. “We work with the colleges and universities to make sure we build the
MENDENHALL REPORT
Attracting international investment to Jacksonville Cross Regions CEO shares his technique. PAGE 4 VOLUME 106, NO. 201 • TWO SECTIONS