High-tech company leaves Austin for Uniontown

NuRelm Internet Solutions is only a small company right now, but its decision to move from one of the nation's high-technology hotbeds in Austin, Texas, to Uniontown, Fayette County, is big news as far as Gov. Tom Ridge is concerned.

Tuesday, Ridge announced the software design firm's choice of Pennsylvania to relocate and create 115 jobs.

Ridge said the selection came after one of the company's founders caught site of a television advertisement touting the state's attributes.

'Pennsylvania's bold effort to lure the 'best and brightest' to the Commonwealth is paying off,' Ridge said, referring to the state's 'Come Invent the Future' ad campaign. 'Companies like NuRelm are watching.'

Two 30-second TV commercials aired last summer. But more recently - from April 23 through May 13 - the spots appeared on national cable and network outlets promoting the state's efforts to attract high-tech industry and talent.

Among those who caught the pitch was Mona McGraw, one of three partners in the NuRelm firm.

'We were looking at sites, and we were considering West Virginia,' said NuRelm President Sami Shaaban in a telephone interview. 'But then we saw the ad for Pennsylvania, and it seemed to speak directly to us.'

While Austin is an attractive location for technology companies, Shaaban said the cost of doing business there is high. Also, he said, some companies have had difficulty finding qualified workers.

NuRelm provides software for Internet development companies to add e-commerce and content management functions to Web sites.

The company moved into the former National City Bank building in downtown Uniontown about a month ago and has already hired five staffers, bringing its total employment to eight.

NuRelm has been given a package of public incentives to facilitate its move, including a $100,000 Opportunity Fund grant, a $50,000 Customized Job Training Grant and a $100,000 small business loan.

Shaaban said personal preferences also played a part in the decision to relocate. He and his partners wanted access to outdoor recreation.

Rather than choosing Pittsburgh, the company picked Fayette County, where Ohiopyle is a mecca for whitewater rafting enthusiasts, and where there are opportunities to take part in such activities as skiing and mountain biking.

'In Fayette County and Uniontown, you are literally at the foothills of the Laurel Mountains where you have world-class outdoor activities at your doorstep,' said Michael Krajovic, executive vice president of the Fay-Penn Economic Development Council. 'And it also is close enough to the city of Pittsburgh where they can take advantage of the cultural activities and other attractions there.'

'We looked for a location that allowed for a diversity of outdoor activities, yet allowed access to a major metropolitan center,' said Shaaban. 'When we came to Uniontown, we knew it fit those requirements perfectly.'