Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest-growing private companies

Only route is up, up, up…

St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Oct 19, 2005.

Inc. magazine on Tuesday unveiled its 24th annual Inc. 500 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the country, which includes 33 Florida companies and four in the Tampa Bay area. No. 1 this year is Video Gaming Technologies, a South Carolina maker of touchscreen gaming machines for casinos, with three-year sales growth of 9,720 percent. The top Florida company is Bankers Healthcare Group in Weston, which provides working capital to medical professionals. Bankers ranked No. 5 with a three-year sales growth of 5,817.8 percent. The ranking includes private companies that submitted audited financial statements. The Inc. 500 appears in the magazine’s November issue, which appears on newsstands Nov. 1.

Apartment Express Corporate Housing

Where it is: Tampa

What it does: Provides short-term luxury housing in the Tampa area for relocated corporate executives, professional athletes, military personnel and people who have lost their home to a disaster.

Rank on Inc. 500: 194

2004 revenues: $5.8-million

3-year sales growth: 567.4 percent

Founders: David Lowrey and Chris Mercer (1999) `

Employees: 15

Notable: Apartment Express historically has rented furniture for its apartments; now it is buying furniture in bulk and storing it at a warehouse, a strategy expected to double its profit margins. Renting the furniture was $500,000 a year… now we’re going to get a decent amount of that back as profit. It’s a great deal.

Movex

Where it is: Tampa

What it does: Rents professionally driven moving trucks for do- it- yourself moves.

Rank on Inc. 500: 417

2004 revenues: $14-million

Three-year sales growth: 334.6 percent

Founder: Stuart Suddath (2000)

Employees: 54

Notable: Promotes itself as about 40 percent cheaper than full- service moving companies. The Inc. 500 recognition helps us when we hire. With some shady characters in the moving industry, this also gives customers more of a comfort level.

Intellect Technical Solutions

Where it is: Clearwater

What it does: Information technology services to HSN, Publix and others.

Rank on Inc. 500: 248

2004 revenues: $6.4-million

3-year sales growth: 486 percent

Founders: Jim Barge, Scott Ferrante (1998)

Employees: 11 in office plus field staff.

Notable: Barge was all of 28 when he and his business partner started Intellect. The duo was influenced by Tampa’s Blue Ocean Software (later bought by Intuit) to hire the best people possible. The Inc. 500 means an enormous sense of accomplishment. It’s a tribute to our hard-working people and staying focused on the customer. The big thing is keeping it going.

PostcardMania

Where it is: Clearwater

What it does: Provides a wide range of postcard direct-mail marketing services to businesses.

Rank on Inc. 500: 498

2004 revenues: $8.7-million

3-year sales growth: 289.8 percent

Founders: Joy Gendusa (1998)

Employees: 103

Notable: Company built its niche by providing free marketing advice, then sold direct marketing services. Brightly colored, high- energy office is home to loyal employees known as maniacs. On reaching the Inc. 500: It has incredible meaning. We have such young and aspiring minds that run this company.

Copyright Times Publishing Co. Oct 19, 2005

About PostcardMania: PostcardMania (www.postcardmania.com), founded by Joy Gendusa in 1998, is a full service direct mail postcard marketing company providing businesses with full service postcard direct mail marketing which includes graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services with free marketing advice.