GovTech Innovation Leader GCR Chooses Orlando for its Center of Excellence
Orlando, Fla. (July 7, 2020) – GCR, Inc. (GCR), a leading public sector software and services firm, is opening a Center of Excellence in Heathrow that will focus on innovation in GovTech. It is the cornerstone of a significant investment in the company’s State Government business unit, PCC, which will centralize and grow its software development operations in the location. The firm plans to hire 250 new employees over the next five years paying an average salary 150 percent higher than the average wage in Seminole County.
“We’re thrilled to be part of the Central Florida community, and we are grateful for the leadership of the State of Florida, Seminole County, and the Orlando Economic Partnership for their exceptional work in welcoming GCR,” said Tom Amburgey, the CEO of GCR. “Central Florida quickly became the clear frontrunner with its deep skilled-talent pool, proximity to airports and universities, and livability.”
The Center of Excellence will gather together team members from different disciplines to create a cross-functional model focused on delivering solutions that will transform the way state and local governments operate.
“Congratulations to GCR on selecting Florida for the location of their new Center of Excellence and adding 250 jobs in Seminole County,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida’s talent pipeline and expanding technology sector make our state more and more attractive for companies like GCR to grow and succeed.”
“Today’s announcement reflects a positive trend that we are seeing as Florida becomes the ideal place to grow a tech business,” said Jamal Sowell, President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. “We will continue to share Florida’s story so businesses can introduce new and existing industries to our diverse talent groups.”
The facility will house the talent of a major software development company, including systems architects, developers, testers, business analysts, product managers, and administrative staff. GCR will base up to 75 employees there within the first year with plans to grow into the hundreds over the next few years.
“As a result of this unfortunate health crisis, economic impacts will be felt for years,” said Seminole County Chairman Jay Zembower. “Economic development opportunities such as GCR provide Seminole County with the ability to make positive steps toward positively impacting the economic climate sooner rather than later. Our county is taking proactive measures on both the economic front, as well as the health front, allowing us to mitigate both aspects of the coronavirus crisis.”
GCR chose Heathrow after an in-depth site selection process that involved more than a dozen leading locations across the country. The State of Florida and Seminole County provided an incentive that totaled $1.5 million through the Florida Qualified Targeted Industry program–a performance-based business incentive that provides companies a tax refund once new jobs are created.
“GCR’s Center of Excellence is a perfect example of how Orlando provides a fresh start for companies to evolve and grow their culture,” said Orlando Economic Partnership President and CEO Tim Giuliani. “The region’s collaborative ecosystem and diversified talent pool create opportunity for companies to bring together diverse minds, ideas and skill sets in one place.”
The Orlando Economic Partnership worked closely with the company’s site location consultant, Seminole County and the State of Florida to build the case for the company’s location decision, including an in-depth analysis of the region’s talent using skills-based data. The presentation also included detailed information on the benefits of the region’s tax climate, infrastructure and cultural amenities.
GCR’s Center of Excellence will focus on overcoming the unique IT challenges facing state and local governments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, government services have remained essential to economic recovery. GCR has continued to see growth as an essential business helping governments dramatically improve the way they serve the public through innovation and technology.
“There is so much opportunity in GovTech, especially with emerging technologies that have the power to disrupt the technological status quo and radically transform the way governments do business,” said Amburgey. “For decades PCC has been leading the charge, and we are doubling down on that legacy with an eye toward revolutionizing the GovTech space with new energy, new vision, and new products.”
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About GCR
GCR improves, expedites, and digitally transforms public sector offerings in the areas of critical infrastructure, land and grants management, elections, and government business services. Together with its subsidiaries, PCC Technology Inc. and MB3, GCR is recognized as one of the top government technology and service providers in the country.
About PCC
PCC, founded in 1995 and acquired by GCR in 2016, is a leading provider of software to the state and local government market, and the premier provider of solutions for Secretaries of State across the country. It develops and implements the highest quality software solutions to support corporate registration, voter registration, election administration, ethics and disclosure, and land management, among others.
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