INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – An Internet-based company is considering moving its headquarters into Indian River County and hiring 100 local people. For that, county leaders have approved awarding the company up to $550,000 over three years in a jobs grant.
eMindful Inc., which currently employs three people and is looking at various sites across the country to locate its headquarters.
The jobs grant and another state-level grant the company has applied for could be enough of an enticement to move eMindful to Indian River County, according to county leaders.
Community Development Director Bob Keating told commissioners Tuesday that eMindful could qualify for $550,000 in county funding – if it moves into the Vero Beach-Gifford Enterprise Zone. If the company moves anywhere else in the county, it could receive $500,000.
Keating also said that the funding is applicable no matter where the company sets up its headquarters – in the unincorporated part of the county or within any of the municipalities.
Once eMindful proves it has hired 100 local employees at a wage higher than the average wage in the county for one year, the county will pay out a third of the approved grant funds, Keating explained. For each of three years the company maintains its eligibility, it can expect to receive the county funds.
Helene Caseltine, the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce’s economic development director, told the Board of County Commissioners that eMindful is one of the county’s target industries and should be supported.
Kelley McCabe, CEO of eMindful, told commissioners that the business is an Internet-based integrated health care provider that specializes in providing classes for its customers. Such classes include stress reduction, complementary healing and personal growth via video conferencing.
The purpose of the classes is to help businesses trim their health-related costs.
eMindful is the third company the county has approved a jobs grant.
OcuCue LLC was approved in September for a $131,000 grant. It plans to hire 25 employees.
In October, SpectorSoft Corp. was approved for $208,000 in grant funds and plans to hire 34 people.
