Dealer.com announced today their plans to stay in Vermont, and to add 200 new jobs to its over 300 current by 2012. Dealer.com provides website and online marketing services to the auto dealership sector, and their success puts a positive spotlight on Vermont’s growing interactive sector.
Even though we compete for a very limited workforce, I’m very happy to see them prosper (besides, my wife works there). I say this because their success signals bankers, investors, politicians, educators, and those making career choices that the interactive sector in Vermont is hot and a good investment.
Will anyone doubt what this sector can do after looking at what Dealer.com is doing? After all, they’ve managed to build overwhelming market growth in a sector most crippled by this horrid economic time. If they can grow serving auto, we all have enormous potential as well.
For bankers and investors Dealer.com serves as a reference to consider when other interactive shops come looking for investment. Based on the number of politicians attending today’s announcement, Montpelier should be even getting it and might hopefully envision Vermont’s potential as a mecca for this growing clean, green, good paying industry. Matt Dunne of Google certainly does. Schools are hopefully hearing this to adjust their curriculum faster to meet the workforce gap (follow Champlain’s lead).
So I’m relieved that Dealer.com is staying here to grow and feed our sector here in Vermont. Rock it Dealer.com.
