Staff Writer
Job fair Aug. 25
Mortgage industry perils have contributed to the economic downturn of the past several years, but one company dealing with the aftermath is expanding, bringing jobs to Jacksonville in the process.
Executives with Digital Risk LLC, an Orlando-based risk analytics firm, officially cut the ribbon on the company’s new Southside offices Wednesday.
Many of the firm’s 50 local employees were in attendance, as were City, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and Digital Risk officials to start what should soon be an even larger relationship.
“It’s the perfect place,” said Ron Driggers, Digital Risk vice president of human excellence.
Driggers said he was “doubly excited” about the Jacksonville expansion because he grew up in the area and was one of the strongest advocates to expand here when company officials began discussions.
The company has more than 600 employees throughout its offices in New York, Dallas, Orlando and now Jacksonville.
Driggers said he expects close to 300 employees here by the first quarter of next year. He said that would “far surpass” the originally agreed-upon 175 new jobs that were part of the incentive package agreement with the City.
Employees will review client companies’ loans dating back as far as 1980 to analyze what went wrong with the agreements and if they were done correctly at the time. He said they don’t assess blame, but identify inaccuracies.
Additionally, the information will be used to assist companies with future loans to avoid repeating the mistakes.
Employment expansion will begin with a job fair at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25, providing more information about the company to applicants in the mortgage underwriting and processing fields. Initial salaries range from the low $30,000s to the $70,000 range, with management levels potentially higher, said Driggers.
Mayor John Peyton said that besides helping “make order out of the chaos” in the mortgage industry, Digital Risk is a welcome addition and good news for the city.
City Council President Jack Webb alluded to the chamber’s Council Appreciation luncheon in June, where he punctuated remarks about his upcoming presidency with “jobs, jobs, jobs.”
The Southside location, at 5011 Gate Parkway, Building 200, was the choice after considering three options, said Driggers, and the proximity to both a central area and “extraordinary talent” played a role in the selection.
Driggers credited the incentives and support from City officials as key reasons for the local expansion.
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