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Fort Myers biotech firm plans to add 75 employees
By DICK HOGAN • June 19, 2009
NeoGenomics, a Fort Myers-based biotechnology company, is expanding its work force here by 75 highly paid employees during the next three years.
Lee County Economic Development Office Director Jim Moore made the announcement only hours after the office and NeoGenomics signed an agreement to provide the company with incentives to put the jobs in the county.
The jobs will pay at least $60,000 — more than $20,000 above the average wage here.
NeoGenomics will be paid by the county a negotiated amount for each high-wage job it brings to the area, Moore said.
The announcement was made during a Horizon Council meeting at the Helm Club of The Landings condominium in Fort Myers. The session was the council’s midyear update for its supporters.
The council is a public-private board that advises Lee County commissioners on economic issues.
There are 72 NeoGenomics employees in the county. The new workers will be in a variety of fields, including administrators, customer care and technicians, said Helen Edenfield, NeoGenomics’ director of support services.
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NeoGenomics performs cancer diagnostic tests for patients. It also has labs in Nashville, Tenn., and Irvine, Calif.
It was unclear if the deal includes money from a $25 million economic development fund commissioners added to this year's budget, which went into effect Oct. 1. But the money has been used at least twice so far:
• In May, Lee commissioners voted 4-0 to spend $1.7 million to convince a private company to move its headquarters here. The move could mean a $334.6 million economic impact and 350 new jobs, economic officials said.
The county has not released the name of the business, the type of business or its headquarters’ location because of a confidentiality agreement intended to protect the firm from a public backlash should news leak the firm is looking to relocate.
• Earlier this year, commissioners approved $510,000 for information technology company Gartner Inc. to expand its operations and add 200 jobs here. That deal was announced April 28.
The Gartner expansion includes an estimated $13.5 million investment in a new 70,000-square-foot class A office building. The economic impact of the project to Southwest Florida is an estimated $134.2 million over five years. |
