Change is afoot at RIIS, and that's an encouraging thing for the growing tech firm.
RIIS has hired 18 people so far this year, including a recruiter, sales professional, mobile developers, and software developers. It now has a staff of 54 employees and three summer interns. It plans to hire another 18 people over the next year to keep pace with its growth.
"We have had the two best revenue months we've ever had," says Godfrey Nolan, president of
RIIS. "The growth is consistent, not explosive."
RIIS has done tech work (think custom software platforms and mobile apps) for the likes of
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan since its start in 1998. It has since diversified its customer base, taking on larger clients like
North American Bancard,
Michigan First Credit Union, and
DTE Energy. Often it has used its expertise in mobile to help land that new work.
"We're doing lots of mobile work and a lot more work with DTE Energy," Nolan says. "We have great salespeople and have done work there before."
RIIS also executed a move from its old office in Southfield to a newer, bigger space in Troy earlier this week. The new office has 1,500 square feet more than its previous space, adding up to a total of 5,000 square feet.
"One of the reasons we moved to Troy is for more space," Nolan says.
The new space is consolidated and open. Nolan points out that the cubicle workspace for software developers is dead and an open floor plan that encourages collaboration is what's making firms like RIIS competitive today. The company's new office not only lacks walls but has space for training and recreation for the company's growing number of employees.
"It's way better than what we had before," Nolan says.
Source: Godfrey Nolan, president of RIIS
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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