GovTech Innovation Leader GCR Opens 'Center of Excellence' in Central Florida

HEATHROW, Fla., July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GCR Inc. (GCR), a leading public sector software and services firm, is opening a Center of Excellence in Heathrow that will focus on innovation in GovTech. It is the cornerstone of a significant investment in the company's State Government business unit, PCC, which will centralize and grow its software development operations in the location.

"There is so much opportunity in GovTech, especially with emerging technologies that have the power to disrupt the technological status quo and radically transform the way governments do business," said Tom Amburgey, the CEO of GCR. "For decades PCC has been leading the charge, and we are doubling down on that legacy with an eye toward revolutionizing the GovTech space with new energy, new vision, and new products."

The Center of Excellence will house the talent of a major software development company, including systems architects, developers, testers, business analysts, product managers, and administrative staff. GCR will base up to 75 employees there within the first year with plans to grow into the hundreds over the next few years.                       

"We're committed to innovation that will help governments dramatically improve the way they serve the public," said Matt Blakely, GCR's Chief Technology Officer who founded and led MB3, a grants management software company acquired by GCR in 2018. "Locating our software development operations in the Center of Excellence will allow us to create a common culture and facilitate an exchange of ideas that will spark new technological advancements."

Over recent weeks, GCR named Mike Wons president of PCC and hired a new Vice President of Development and a new Vice President of IT Security along with dozens others for the Heathrow location.

GCR's Center of Excellence will focus on overcoming the unique IT challenges facing state and local governments.

"Governments deliver hundreds of adjoining services, and the goal must be to bring them together on a common platform that is modern and frictionless in order to deliver a single, quality user experience," said Wons, a software developer by trade with more than 20 years in senior roles, including with leading GovTech companies and as the first-ever statewide CTO for Illinois.

"We are going to build on PCC's strengths to expand our suite of products, creating new enterprise solutions and building an open API structure that uses advanced technology to make connectivity easy and implementation quick," he said.

GCR chose Heathrow after an in-depth site selection process that involved more than a dozen leading locations across the country. The State of Florida and Seminole County provided an incentive that totaled $1.5 million through the Florida Qualified Targeted Industry program - a performance-based business incentive that provides companies a tax refund once new jobs are created. 

"We're thrilled to be part of the Central Florida community, and we are grateful for the leadership of the State of Florida, Seminole County, and the Orlando Economic Partnership for their exceptional work in welcoming GCR," said Amburgey. "Central Florida quickly became the clear frontrunner with its deep skilled-talent pool, proximity to airports and universities, and livability."

About GCR
GCR improves, expedites, and digitally transforms public sector offerings in the areas of critical infrastructure, land and grants management, elections, and government business services. Together with its subsidiaries, PCC Technology Inc. and MB3, GCR is recognized as one of the top government technology and service providers in the country.

About PCC
PCC, founded in 1995 and acquired by GCR in 2016, is a leading provider of software to the state and local government market, and the premier provider of solutions for Secretaries of State across the country. It develops and implements the highest quality software solutions to support corporate registration, voter registration, election administration, ethics and disclosure, and land management, among others.

Contact:
Malinda Kelley
(504) 304-0747
[email protected] 

SOURCE GCR Inc.