Governor Rick Scott announced that Sunera LLC, an IT and data risk consulting firm and subsidiary of Cyber Risk Management (“CRM”), plans to expand its headquarters in Tampa. The expansion will create more than 40 new jobs and invest $185,000 in Hillsborough County.
Governor Scott said, “We are excited to announce Sunera’s expansion in Tampa which will create more jobs for Florida families. We work every day to create an environment where our job creators can succeed and Florida business have added more than 728,000 private-sector jobs in four years. We know that every job transforms a family, and we will keep working every day to make Florida the global destination for jobs.”
Florida ranks second in the nation for tech job growth and third for high-tech establishments. In addition, the state’s software and computer systems design and integration industry is one of the largest in the U.S., with nearly 12,600 firms. Nearly half of the more than 80,000 professionals who work in the field are employed by software development firms, with the rest working in related technology-intensive industries throughout the state.
Founded in 2005, Sunera is the trusted security and privacy advisor of some of the world’s largest companies, with more than 100 employees in Florida and more than 200 across North America. The new positions in Tampa will support the growth of the firm’s cybersecurity practice, and help expand its information technology audit, information security and data privacy functions.
Joel Schleicher, CEO of Sunera and Cyber Risk Management, LLC, said, “Sunera and CRM are proud to continue growing their consulting operations in Tampa. We are excited to be adding an additional 40 high-wage, high-skilled jobs to the downtown core, and we look forward to filling these positions with the top IT and security professionals in the area. As we work to meet the growing demand for our services, we will look both to experienced professionals in Tampa and the top graduates at our local universities. We are thankful for the support of the city, the county, and the State of Florida, and look forward to contributing to the growing high-tech industry in the Tampa Bay area.”
Secretary of Commerce and EFI president & CEO Gray Swoope said, “Growing companies like Sunera are important indicators that Florida’s opportunity economy is strong. Sunera’s expansion gives further depth to Florida’s robust IT sector, and we look forward to their continued success.”
The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “It is exciting news for our state that Sunera and CRM are expanding in Florida’s emergent high-tech corridor. These 40 new high-skill, high-wage jobs over the next three years in STEM fields mean that more Floridians will have the opportunity to use their education in the workplace while bolstering Florida’s high-tech reputation.”
“Information technology companies are fueling the growth of Hillsborough County’s innovation economy,” said the Honorable Sandy Murman, Chair of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “We’re committed to promoting the growth of this industry in Hillsborough County, and providing existing businesses like Sunera with the assistance they need to flourish here over the long term.”
“Companies like Sunera are building Tampa’s international reputation as a major center for information security,” said Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa. “The information technology and cyber security companies that have launched and are growing here are setting the standard for the industry. We will continue to do all we can to support the success and expansion of our local IT sector and deeply appreciate the high wage, high tech jobs they bring to our city.”
“Thanks to the support of our state and local partners, Sunera chose to expand its operations in Tampa instead of pursuing other opportunities in Texas, Georgia, and Virginia,” said Dr. Ronald Vaughn, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and president of the University of Tampa. “This expansion is the latest illustration of Hillsborough County’s desirability as a preferred destination for corporate headquarters and fast-growing high tech companies.”
Individuals interested in open job opportunities may refer to the company’s web site at https://sunera.com/careers/.