(Host) A Burlington software company will stay in Vermont and double the size of its work force.
As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, Dealer.com had considered moving some of its operations to California.
(Sneyd) There was a buzz in the sleek offices of Dealer.com as 325 employees and a couple dozen visitors waited for the announcement they knew was coming.
(Bonfigli) "Everybody out there knows what to do after I announce this right? We have decided to do our expansion in Burlington, Vermont."
(Sneyd) Dealer.com CEO Mark Bonfigli was right. Everybody did know what to do about 300 new jobs and $10 million in new investment.
The company thought long and hard about expanding in California, where it has a small office. Vermont responded with $3.5 million in incentives. Governor Jim Douglas says the jobs are welcome – and so is the vote of confidence in Vermont.
(Douglas) "What your decision means, the signal it sends to the rest of the world, is that Vermont‘s a cool place to work, too. And that’s really important. You’re the best ambassadors we have to send the word far and wide that this is a place where people can create good-paying jobs, can enjoy the quality of life that’s unsurpassed."
(Sneyd) Twelve years ago, CEO Mark Bonfigli and a customer at his South Burlington used-car dealership came up with an idea for marketing cars online. Now, Dealer.com commands 45 percent of the market for selling and marketing new and used vehicles on the Internet.
As revenues grew 1,200 percent between 2004 and 2009, Dealer needed more space and more staff. Especially workers who can write software and navigate social media and search engines that now dominate car sales.
Part of the answer to attracting those kinds of employees will be in the benefits Dealer.com offers in its building. Bonfigli calls it the "Dealer.com lifestyle."
(Bonfigli) "The wellness initiatives. Incredible space, featuring, and not limited to, a state-of-the-art yoga and aerobic studio. Multi-purpose office space. Boardrooms. Saunas. Massage studios. Solarium. A lake-view rooftop sundeck with work space." (applause)
(Sneyd) Dealer currently shares a former industrial building in the south end of Burlington with Lake Champlain Chocolates.
Dealer will buy Lake Champlain’s space and the chocolate maker will move about 50 people to Williston.
This was the second announcement in less than 24 hours of new jobs in the Burlington area. IBM plans to hire 100 people in Essex Junction.
Frank Cioffi of the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation says the announcements are a sign of a recovery among high-tech companies.
But he says other parts of the economy are still struggling.
(Cioffi) "The consumer markets are still dragging somewhat. And it still will be a while until we see the positive effects on Main Street. Go across anywhere in Vermont or the country and it’s tough. We’re still climbing our way out of this. It’ll be a while."
(Sneyd) Cioffi says he’s confident that the new jobs at Dealer and IBM will help to drive the recovery toward Main Street.
For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.