Local Company Expands, Receives Grant to Support HQ Consolidation

SOURCE: Virginia Beach Development Authority

The company received an Economic Development Investment Program (EDIP) Part A grant of $125,000 from the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) based on new job creation and target industry sectors. SJS is purchasing a five-acre site located at 2652 Excalibur Court. The company will renovate the nearly 42,000 SF building to accommodate the office and industrial uses and plans to more than double its workforce over the next three years. Altogether, the company plans to make capital investments totaling more than $4 million and add 49 jobs with average salaries of $59,000, exclusive of benefits. 

"Being able to retain SJS and assist in its expansion is what the EDIP is designed to do," said Economic Development Director Taylor Adams. "The City Council put the program in place 25 years ago to help qualifying companies with their growth needs and SJS is a great success story."

Economic Development Department staff work with potential award seekers to evaluate a business' potential to qualify for an award and the VBDA administers the program.

Awards are not guaranteed. Criteria for awards is based on a number of factors, from the amount of capital investment and/or job creation over a 36-month period to whether the company will locate a strategic growth area or is among the City's target industry sectors.

"As a 34-year resident of Virginia Beach, I am excited to fulfill my long-term goal of opening and operating a new facility in the city to increase the number of quality professional and industrial employment opportunities available to our local community," said Gino Gonzalez, chief executive officer and co-owner of SJS Executives, LLC (SJS), also doing business as SJS Industrial. "I am proud to be a part of the greater Virginia Beach community and I deeply appreciate the assistance the city offered SJS to help it locate its new site and expand its operations."

Co-owner and Chief Operating Officer Roger LaPlante added, "As veterans of the US Navy and US Marine Corps, Gino and I are particularly motivated to help local veterans, including service disabled individuals, attain long-term, satisfying careers with SJS, and this new location near multiple military bases will improve our ability to find employees with in-demand technical, management and leadership skills as soon as they separate from the service." 

For more information about the EDIP, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.  

Source:  https://www.yesvirginiabeach.com/media/pages/article.aspx?release=351