350 New Jobs in Addition to the 750 Jobs Announced in February 2013
Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Verizon will create 350 jobs in addition to the 750 new jobs announced in February 2013. The additional 350 positions brings the total number of new jobs in Lake Mary to 1,100. Governor Scott made the announcement during a ceremony celebrating the opening of Verizon’s new $50 million, 220,000 square-foot finance center in Lake Mary.
Governor Scott said, “Verizon’s growing commitment to Central Florida is great news for the families of the area. Today’s announcement of 350 new jobs means that more Floridians will be able to find a meaningful job with a great company. Since December 2010, Florida has created 563,000 private-sector jobs, and our unemployment rate remains below that national average. We must continue to remain focused on creating an environment where companies like Verizon can continue to succeed and every Floridian has the opportunity to get a great job.”
Lake Mary will help Verizon improve processes, enhance service to both internal and external customers, and improve career and networking opportunities for employees. Finance employees in Lake Mary will coordinate functions such as accounting, payroll, commissions, and revenue assurance across all lines of business in Verizon into a centralized location.
“Our welcome over the past year from Seminole County and Lake Mary officials, as well as Governor Rick Scott and local and state economic development groups has been top notch,” said Fran Shammo, chief financial officer, Verizon. “That, along with our plans to further our commitment with 350 additional jobs, confirms that our decision to choose Lake Mary was the right one. This state-of-the-art building further represents our commitment to creating and offering good jobs in an industry-leading company with a first-class environment.”
Most of the nation’s leading financial and professional services companies have established large operations in Florida to take advantage of its global connectivity, experienced workforce, and favorable business climate.
President and CEO of Enterprise Florida Gray Swoope said, “Verizon’s new Financial Center is a great investment for Seminole County and a huge boost for the state. The 350 new jobs in addition to the 750 already announced makes this center even more impactful, and shows the company’s confidence in Florida’s strong and diverse talent pipeline. Thanks to industry leaders like Verizon, Florida is known as one of the top states for business and I congratulate them on the opening of their new Lake Mary campus.”
This project was made possible with the help of close partnerships at the local and state levels. Partners that made this project a success include Enterprise Florida, Inc., Seminole County, the Orlando Economic Development Commission, CareerSource Florida and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
“Verizon’s investment of $50 million in Florida and development of 1,100 jobs is great news for Florida families. Verizon’s reputation as a leader in the broadband and wireless communications sector will continue to enhance Florida’s recognition as the perfect environment for financial and professional services. With a strong labor force and business-friendly environment, the opportunities to grow in Florida are unlimited,” said Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Chairman Bob Dallari, Seminole County Board of County Commissioners said, “On behalf of Seminole County, we are excited to welcome Verizon’s Finance Center to our community. Verizon choosing Seminole County means increased opportunities for Seminole County area residents. We appreciate the hard work and collaboration that assisted Verizon in making the decision to house their new 220,000 square foot facility in Seminole County, and the City of Lake Mary.”
Lake Mary Mayor David Mealor said, “The City of Lake Mary is delighted that Verizon is opening their new Lake Mary Finance Center right on schedule. We welcome our new neighbor, and know that Verizon will find Lake Mary to be a great place to live and work.”
“We’re pleased that Verizon officials found the depth of high-quality talent in Orlando that led them to announce today’s new jobs for Seminole County,” said Rick Weddle, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission. “This project is game changing for Orlando’s business services industry. It was a true collaboration among government, industry and education working together and played a significant role in why Florida was awarded a Silver Shovel by Area Development for its large economic impact in the state.”
“The City is thrilled to be celebrating the opening of Verizon’s new Lake Mary Finance Center. We look forward to continuing our work with Verizon to make sure the City of Lake Mary becomes their ‘favorite home,’” said Jackie Sova, Lake Mary City Manager.
Economic Development Manager Tom Tomerlin, said, “Verizon’s commitment to our community is tremendous, and we thank them for choosing Lake Mary. As Verizon gets settled into their new facility, we’re confident that any resource need they may have can be supplied by our local economy.”
As part of the project, CareerSource Florida has offered Verizon performance-based partial reimbursement grants for employee training through the Quick Response Training (QRT) program. QRT grants are structured to be flexible and responsive to the training needs of new or expanding businesses
“We are excited to assist in Verizon’s transformation of its financial operations through training opportunities for new employees that will help take this company to the next level,” said CareerSource Florida President and CEO Chris Hart IV. “The creation of hundreds of jobs at Verizon’s new Finance Center also will have a tremendous economic impact on Lake Mary and surrounding communities.”
Governor Scott has recommended $95 million investment for the state’s economic development incentive programs to attract new businesses and expand existing businesses in order to create high quality/high wage jobs and grow Florida’s economy. A key component is the flexibility to use these funds to react quickly to unexpected opportunities, which will enhance business retention and job creation.