Company Need
Verizon Communications was seeking the best location for a facility that would centralize its accounting, finance and back office operations to improve processes, enhance service to internal and external customers and improve career and networking opportunities for employees. In the process of selecting a site, the top factors were quality of life, availability of top talent and cost of doing business..
Orlando’s Competition
Verizon originally looked at more than 300 locations across the nation before short-listing five communities which included Orlando, FL; Tulsa, OK; Columbus, OH; Boise, ID; and Knoxville, TN. Executives were initially surprised Orlando was on the short list.
Company executives visited Orlando after the research proved the market had the qualities they were looking for. The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) assembled an expert group from area workforce agencies, colleges and universities to showcase degree programs and vocational training that would directly support Verizon’s employment needs. Meetings with financial firms were arranged to educate Verizon on the quality of the workforce in the region.
The company was then equipped with detailed neighborhood data that included K-12 and higher education-specific overviews. They selected Lake Mary, a suburb of Orlando in Seminole County that has been ranked as a best place to live by CNN/Money.
Results
After an intense and competitive site selection process, Orlando emerged as the victor with Verizon’s new Center of Excellence.
- $63 million capital investment
- 1,100 new jobs over 3 years
Partnerships and Collaborations
Organizations included the State of Florida, Enterprise Florida, Inc., the City of Lake Mary, Seminole County and the Orlando Economic Partnership. CareerSource Florida, the University of Central Florida, Valencia College and Seminole State College also provided assistance.
Orlando truly surprised us that they had the qualities we needed. Now that we’re there, Orlando has absolutely proved itself.
Karan Mehra Director, Verizon
