Grow Henry County

New company will bring more than 80 jobs to Mount Pleasant.
By REX L. TROUTE
rtroute@thehawkeye.com

MOUNT PLEASANT IOWA — Thursday afternoon's glad-handing at the Howe Student Activity Center was a community's business version of victory as Mount Pleasant officially welcomed Biomedical Synergies to its friendly borders. The goal of bringing 87 jobs to the city in the next five years was received with open arms.

Paul Kozloski, president of Biomedical Synergies, was warmly greeted at a reception sponsored by the Mount Pleasant Area Development Commission. His company had been treated that way since September 2009 when it was introduced to Mount Pleasant residents at a Minneapolis presentation hosted by Community Venture Network.

"It was a marriage made in heaven. It truly was," said Kozloski. "This is a big day for us. We hope it is a big day for you."

Biomedical Synergies will take up office space available in Alaniz LLC at 425 N. Iris St., where it will create its Tracs4Life software and provide support to its customers. The initial phase of the business will be moving a server farm to Mount Pleasant and the hiring of staff.

Kozloski said the pace will be slow at the start as they hire a variety of positions including technical personnel and employees for its support team. A clinical background will be a plus on the support side of the business. Sales personnel can be hired in the region in which they will sell across the country.

The two main aspects, both patent-pending, of Biomedical Synergies are the Tracs4Life software and its consulting methodology. Tracs4Life is a tissue management and tracking software solution to help hospitals in the treatment of patients. The consulting aspect focuses on patient safety and risk reduction when it comes to tissue concerns.

Biomedical Synergies, Minneapolis-based, has 200-plus users of its services and has a handful of competitors.

"It's a growing concern," said Kozloski of companies dealing with cellular tissue. Biomedical Synergies will be looking to apply its software and consulting services to other business models.

Randy Seberg, president of Alaniz for 15 years, will serve as a consultant in the early phases of Biomedical Synergies operation in Mount Pleasant. Seberg will retain his position at Alaniz, while overseeing the hiring process and other initial requirements in adapting to the office space.

Justin Erickson, principal owner of Community Venture Network since 2006, was responsible for introducing Biomedical Synergies to Mount Pleasant. The mission of his company is to take mid-size companies, largely in Chicago and the Twin Cities, which are looking to grow and to introduce them to member cities in the Midwest. Mount Pleasant has been a member of his firm since 2007.

"When it's a good fit, we encourage visits," said Erickson. Larger communities and other towns closer to Minneapolis were interested in Biomedical Synergies, but Mount Pleasant won out.

Kiley Miller, executive vice president of the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance, was instrumental in bringing Biomedical Synergies to town, along with many others in the business and economic development community.

"That's a community and a region that really wants it to happen," said Miller of the eight-month effort. "It's a perfect fit for Henry County and the Great River region."

Another significant boost to the effort was the $250,000 grant received by the company on March 18 from the Iowa Department of Economic Development through the Grow Iowa Values Financial Assistance Program. Biomedical Synergies also received financial backing from two major investors in the Twin Cities and from local investors.

Five partners make up the firm, including Kozloski and his wife. Sue, leading clinical consultant in physician Duke Kasprisin, Nessa Vercillo and Jeff Winstead.

"You will help us be the successful company we will be," said Kozloski to a good turnout by the community.

Thanks in advance to the Hawkeye News. Original article located here.