John Anthony Smith
New headquarters of the rapidly growing Conversant Group will feature a sleek, glass wall look, president John Anthony Smith said.
It is at the current site of Grant's Auto Trim, just in front of the group's current location.
Mr. Smith told members of the city Industrial Development Board on Monday that the project cannot go forward until an alley in that vicinity is closed and a long-unused gas tank is dug up.
Mr. Smith said the group that features a team of cyber security experts started in 2009 and had 11 employees by 2015. He said it currently is at 46 and has plans to grow to 100 by 2023.
The Covenant College graduate said 67 percent of Conversant employees make over $80,000 per year. He said all make at least $36,000.
Mr. Smith said the company cannot find employees locally and most often recruits experienced net-savvy employees from far away. He said the local school system "is not keeping up" with needs of his industry.
He said, "There is a gross shortage of talent to do this."
Mr. Smith said his company handles "very complex" protection and rescue of the data of companies far and wide - mainly law firms. He said, "We keep the bad guys out. If they do get in, we kick them out."
He said malware operatives in China and Russia "don't stop. They keep coming."
Conversant was given a $10,000 small business incentive grant from the mayor's office that won the approval of the IDB.