Nov. 2, 2012 - Grand Rapids Based OST (Open Systems Technologies) is aiming to tap into the growing business climate excitement in Detroit with a move to downtown. The move, targeted for 2013, will complement its other eastside Michigan office in Ann Arbor.
“The energy downtown is amazing,” said Michael Lomonaco, marketing director for OST. “There is a lot of talent there, especially in the tech industry. Businesses are starting to recruit people from other areas of the country. We want to be part of that community and the excitement and to help in Detroit’s comeback. We see Detroit as the engine that moves the state.”
OST, with $68 million in annual revenues, is a full service IT and technology service firm. Founded in 1997, OST provides business process solutions, data center solutions, application development and managed services focusing in the following sectors: health care, manufacturing and distribution, finance and insurance, and enterprise-level technology services.
Lomonaco said OST is robust in application development, the largest in West Michigan, as well as in security assessment for banks and health care companies, and cloud solutions, among many other offerings.
“We are one of the few companies that can build private and hybrid cloud environments for companies,” he added.
Growth for the company has also been robust. Over the past 9 years, OST has grown revenue at a compounded rate of 35 percent annually. The company has 112 employees, plus 57 full-time contractors. In addition to sites in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, OST has offices in Minneapolis and London. OST has been recognized for six straight years in Inc.’s list of 5000 fastest growing companies.
“We are adding jobs, growing revenues and now growing geographically, which is really exciting,” Lomonaco said.
A big part of that growth is a commitment to Michigan and local communities. Lomonaco explained that businesses, large or small, realize that good business is about relationships.
“People want to do business with people they know, whether it is from the same schools or softball teams,” Lomonaco said. “Our company and employees put a lot of effort into the community. The relationship value is very important.”
OST’s Detroit office is likely to be in the Randolf Street and Gratiot area of Detroit, near to Paradise Valley. Dan Behm is president of OST; other officers include James VanderMey as chief innovation officer, and Meredith Bronk as chief operations officer.
