EDAWN NEWS RELEASE
Innovative Drive Corporation announced yesterday that it will relocate its manufacturing and R&D functions from California to Reno. Community and business leaders and elected officials celebrated the announcement, along with job creation by 36 total new and expanded companies in Northern Nevada at the second annual Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada’s (EDAWN) New and Expanded Company community welcome reception at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
Company president Luke Clauson cited tax savings, the business friendly climate and talent pool as reasons for their move.
Clauson said, “Manufacturing and device components is a strategic expansion of our current offerings, and we are excited about the market opportunities presented by this expansion into northern Nevada. In conjunction with Nevada’s business friendly environment, we see this as a first step in what will be increased growth of the Reno facility and Innovate Drive.”
Innovative Drive was formed in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area to help start-ups realize their goals. When resources are stretched thin their team can bring critical competencies to the table. They provide multidisciplinary expertise in areas including creative design, complex FEA analysis and in-house manufacturing. In five years, Clauson projects 12 full-time employees at the Reno location with an average wage above $21.00/hour. Capital investment in Northern Nevada will exceed $1 million.
Innovative Drive’s move was assisted by the State Governor’s Office of Economic Development, City of Reno, Par Tolles with Basin Street Properties, and Dave Simonsen with NAI Alliance. The company represents a great addition to our community, and their employees are offered strong benefit packages to include tuition reimbursement, making it a positive place to work.
“It is reassuring to see the continued growth of our manufacturing sector and with Innovative Drive Corporation we are also adding R&D jobs to the region which highlights the available talent we have in the area,” said Mike Kazmierski, CEO of EDAWN. “These smaller companies also help to diversity our economy while adding quality jobs as they grow.”
The new technology company announcement came during a celebration of other job creation and investment at EDAWN’s second annual New and Expanded Company Community welcome reception. Over 200 local business and community leaders and elected officials gathered to celebrate over 2,000 new jobs projected in the next five years from companies moving or expanding in Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe in 2013.
Thirty-four companies were recognized for their job creation and investment in the Northern Nevada region in 2013, as well as companies that moved and expanded without the assistance of EDAWN.
“Thirty four companies relocating or expanding in a region of our size this year is significant with the more than 2,000 direct primary jobs and the additional secondary jobs we expect to see the continued reduction of our unemployment rate and even more economic activity in the year ahead,” said Mike Kazmierski. “It is important to recognize that this success is a result of exceptional efforts and cooperation by the entire community, especially the brokerage community, our state and local governments, the education institutions and the business community.”
In February of 2012, Governor Brian Sandoval set a goal of creating 50,000 new jobs in Nevada by 2014. In 2013, EDAWN has assisted over 3,700 to be created in the region, with a healthy pipeline for 2014.
About EDAWN
The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada is a private/public partnership established in 1983 committed to recruiting, expanding and supporting newly forming companies that bring jobs to the region and have a positive impact on the quality of life in Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe.
