- April 17, 2024
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Two new companies in town will add 201 jobs to the local economy.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
The right pieces were in the right places for the city to lure two businesses to Ormond Beach from Daytona Beach.
The City Commission unanimously approved two resolutions Feb. 19, for incentive packages for DuvaSawko ED Billing & Management Solutions and Edge Physicians Inc. to relocate to a 30,000-square-foot building at 298 S. Yonge St.. The companies will transfer 201 high-salary jobs to Ormond and plan to create 38 more in the next three years.
DuvaSawko, a medical information and software company, will receive $254,500, and Edge Physicians, a medical technology firm, will receive $45,000.
The average salary of the DuvaSawko jobs is $37,697, which Joe Mannarino, the city’s economic development director, said was 116% above the Volusia County average.
The average salary of the Edge Physicians jobs is $69,363, which is 200% above average, highlighting the importance of keeping the jobs in the area, instead of having them move to another state or country.
“We could have easily have lost them to across the ocean, as to the state of Washington,” said G.G. Galloway, a partner at Coldwell Banker Commercial Benchmark, who helped facilitate the deal. “That was a very real possibility.”
Galloway said he was approached by DuvaSawko and asked to inquire about new possible locations, and the company considered relocating to Greenville, S.C., Raleigh, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., and even Spokane, Wash.
The deal the companies made with the city, which had been in the works several months, came together, Galloway said, because of good cooperation.
The landlord of the building, which had been vacant for five years, Galloway said, worked with DuvaSawko President and C.E.O. Dr. Charles Duva to come to a fair deal.
The availability of a vacant, stand-alone building also played a big role.
The city conducted two independent economic-impact studies that showed “tremendous benefits,” including the city seeing a return on its investment in two to three years, and a $4 million boost to the local economy.
“There are just so many good things for the community, and (the city) stepped up and helped us realize those goals,” said Duva, who added he was aware of the county’s employment issues because he has lived here for a while. “Obviously, if we live here, we prefer to keep it here. But I assure you there are a lot of communities that would’ve given you a building and free taxes.”
Mannarino said he was working to craft a program to help draw businesses to Ormond Beach when Galloway approached him in August, representing an anonymous company looking to relocate.
Now, the deal is reality, and will bring the city its fifth largest employer.
“I’m excited,” Mannarino said. “Maybe 2013 is the year we were looking for last year.”
