Incentives package helps land Ameritas

U.S.-based IT services firm Ameritas Technologies was lured to Baton Rouge, at least in part, by an incentive package from LED that includes a performance-based grant of $125,000 per year for 10 years to offset leasing costs. The firm unveiled plans today to open an “information technology center” in the Chase Tower South downtown. Ameritas says it will begin hiring in September, plans to open by October and hopes to have 300 employees by 2016, with the jobs paying an average of $63,000 annually, plus benefits. Along with the grant, Ameritas will benefit from the LED FastStart program, which was today named the nation’s best workforce training and development program for the third year straight by Business Facilities magazine (see the News roundup below for more details). The company is also expected to utilize Louisiana’s Quality Jobs and Digital Interactive Media and Software Development tax incentives, LED says. Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mayor Kip Holden were joined by Ameritas CEO Brian Keane today to announce the company’s plans. The governor’s office, mayor’s office, LED and BRAC all worked together to land the project, with initial discussions taking place with Ameritas in March. The company, which is also looking at establishing software development technology centers in Maine and Massachusetts, ultimately decided to locate its first in Baton Rouge.