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Bill Luttrell

Senior Locations Strategist, Werner Global Logistics, Werner Enterprises
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Stephen Gray

CEO, Gray Construction
Thomas J. Stringer, Esq.

Managing Director & Practice Leader, Site Selection and Business Incentives Group, BDO USA
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Managing Principal, Foremost Quality Logistics

Expansion of Biotech Company in Florida to Add Over 160 Jobs

Area Development News Desk

08/16/2011

Rapid Pathogen Screening Inc. (RPS) has announced it expects to add 164 employees to its existing 25-employee workforce over the next five years as part of its Sarasota County, FL, headquarters expansion project.

Currently RPS occupies a 3,300-sq.-ft. facility in Lakewood Ranch, and could require 35,000 additional square feet within five years, according to CEO Thomas Orsini.

This emerging biotech company makes rapid diagnostic tests for a variety of diseases and conditions. Its initial product offering is the FDA-cleared RPS Adeno Detector, sold in the U.S. and internationally. Health care providers use the test kit to determine the underlying source of infectious conjunctivitis (commonly known as "pink eye").

"We expect to expand significantly as we accomplish fundraising objectives, allowing us to bring nine new products to market," said Orsini. "State and community support, and our desire to partner with local business ventures to attract and retain top-caliber talent, makes Sarasota County an appealing location for our headquarters."

Mark Huey, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County (EDC), called it "a hidden gem in Sarasota County's growing biotech sector, quietly going about its business of creating breakthrough medical technology."

RPS recently qualified for for local and state economic development incentives totalling $820,000. The State of Florida, through its Qualified Target Industry tax refund program, committed $656,000 to the company's expansion. Sarasota County pledged a local match of $164,000. The funds will be provided if the company hires 164 permanent, full-time employees over the next five years, and pays an average wage of $72,104.