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Pursuit Boats, one of St. Lucie
County’s largest manufacturers, broke
ground today for the first phase of an
expansion that will ultimately increase
their local employment to 600 and
bring their campus footprint to 100
acres of land with 773,000 square feet
of manufacturing and support space.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were
held at the company’s 213,000-squarefoot
facility on St. Lucie Boulevard in
Fort Pierce. The three-phase expansion
will add an additional 569,430 square
feet of manufacturing space with three
manufacturing and support operations
complexes. The expansion’s first phase
will add a 182,115-square-foot facility.
“Pursuit Boats has been manufacturing
our award-winning, luxury fishing
boats in Fort Pierce since 1983. After 37
years here, we are a multi-generational
employer. We, and our 400 current employees,
are thrilled to be able to stay
and expand here at home, something
we’ve wanted to do for a long time,”
said Pursuit Boats President Bruce
Thompson.
The Pursuit series of fishing boats was
introduced in 1977 in Holland, Michigan.
Demand for the popular boats led
to the construction of a 75,000-squarefoot
manufacturing facility in Fort
Pierce in 1983. Pursuit expanded several
times over the years and, in 2018,
the company was acquired by Malibu
Boats. “Malibu’s investment and market
demand led to an imperative need for
expansion of our manufacturing operations,”
said Thompson.
“This was truly a team effort with
everyone — multiple county departments,
Pursuit’s leadership team and
the Economic Development Council of
St. Lucie County (EDC) — focused on
the goal of retaining and expanding the
county’s business base,” said Pete Tesch,
EDC president. “Targeted industries such
as marine manufacturing provide highvalue
careers for St. Lucie’s residents
and are an essential part of our local
economy.”
The expansion application was fasttracked
through the county. “Keeping
Pursuit Boats here in St. Lucie County
is very important to everyone. I am so
proud of county staff’s response. The
application received an unheard-of
six-week approval,” said St. Lucie County
Commission Chair Linda Bartz. “This
was particularly impressive because our
environmental resources staff had to
work very hard to ensure the preservation
of threatened and endangered
species habitat.”
Pursuit’s site plan encompasses a
111.42-acre site and a 42-acre scrub jay
habitat area, of which 32 acres will be
donated to the county as a preserve
area for threatened and endangered
species. Pursuit has also extended
support for county acquisition of an
additional 10 acres south of the development
through the Environmentally
Sensitive Lands Program.
AROUND THE
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Fort Pierce • Port St. Lucie • St. Lucie Village
Convey Health Solutions
expansion partners with
St. Lucie County Transit
In preparation for a major business expansion,
Convey Health Solutions moved from
the Orange Blossom Business Center into the
60,000-square-foot former Liberty Medical
building on U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie in the St.
Lucie Technology Campus. Convey currently
employs 200 in St. Lucie County and is seeking
to hire an additional 150 to 200 full-time,
part-time and flex-schedule personnel.
Between the move and the expansion,
Convey executives wanted to ensure that the
30+ employees who use the Treasure Coast
Connector, a service of St. Lucie County Public
Transit, have convenient access. Convey enlisted
the support of the Economic Development
Council of St. Lucie County (EDC), which
had previously assisted with the company’s
expansion and relocation.
“Within a very short time after our contact
with St. Lucie Transit, we received word that
a stop on Route 1 could be relocated to accommodate
Convey’s needs,” said Jill Marasa,
EDC vice president of business retention and
expansion.
“We appreciate the opportunity to be
involved with the EDC and Convey to provide
a proximate connection for employees,” said
Murriah Dekle, St. Lucie County transit manager.
“The county’s transit system serves as a
springboard for economic development and
provides a critical link for residents to access
opportunities. Each day in St. Lucie County,
the transit system provides over 1,800 connections.”
“We are excited to have the easy access to
transit for our current and incoming team
members. As we recruit talented individuals
who are passionate about customer service,
this is one of many ways we can support
our employees,” said Sandra Lamb, senior
manager human resources. “In addition to a
competitive pay wage and monthly bonus
incentive, team members are provided with
comprehensive, paid training and support to
ensure they are successful in their new role.”
Convey, a growing healthcare technology
company, employs 1500 regular and another
500 seasonal workers in Fort Lauderdale,
Miramar, Port St. Lucie, as well as Arizona
and Kansas. Convey offers a wide range of
employee benefits and work schedules, from
full-time career opportunities to part- and
flex-time options for college students, retirees
and others seeking adaptable work hours.
To apply for a position, visit https://www.
conveyhealthsolutions.com/careers/.
Pursuit Boats’ expansion to
triple Fort Pierce campus
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