Mayor Andy Cook on Thursday joined executives with SEP and its more than 140 employees in announcing Westfield as the location of the company’s new corporate headquarters. SEP, a software product design and development company, is expanding its Central Indiana operations creating up to 65 new jobs with an average wage of $87,000 per year by the end of 2025. The facility will be located right off U.S. 31 at 161st Street.
Cook
“SEP is the kind of company that Westfield is trying to attract,” said Cook. “It brings a workforce and wage that is desirable to any community. I am equally as excited about the ‘intangibles.’ The innovation this team will bring to our community is unrivaled and The SEP Foundation contributes to the community-focused mindset we work hard to cultivate in Westfield.”
“SEP is ready to build our forever home, which is why we’ll be a 50/50 partner and owner with Pure Development to develop this special campus,” said SEP President and CEO Raman Ohri. “It’s a unique opportunity to have an amazing facility overlooking a beautiful nature preserve, and we’d be honored to care for it for generations to come. We’re committed to the community for the long haul, as an investment and as a place to grow. Our employee owners will love Westfield’s outstanding school system, great outdoor experiences and growing downtown. We can’t wait to bring our amazing team to this great community.”
SEP will invest nearly $2.6 million to build its new 70,000 square-foot corporate headquarters on approximately 20 acres. The expansion will allow the company to permanently own its facilities and continue growing its team. Construction is slated to begin in September, with a planned move-in date of December 2021. As an employee-owned and focused company, SEP involves its employees heavily in decision making, including the selection of workspace amenities and technologies. The new campus will overlook a nature preserve, and the company plans to provide walking trails and firepits near the pond.
“Indiana is leading a tech transformation in the Midwest, as companies like SEP continue to grow and expand in our state,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. “With the construction of this new corporate headquarters, SEP is deepening its roots in Indiana and furthering its commitment to providing a positive company culture, supporting its community, and leveraging the talent pipeline of our Hoosier universities, helping more graduates launch careers here in the state.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered SEP up to $1,125,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired. SEP plans to announce its intention to locate in Westfield to the Westfield City Council on Monday, June 8. The Council will consider additional incentives at a later date. Upon approval of state and local incentives, construction will begin in September 2020.
SEP, which is 100 percent employee-owned through its employee stock ownership plan, has been named a Best Place to Work in Indiana by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce for nine consecutive years and is in the Best Places to Work Hall of Fame.
About SEP
SEP is a software product design and development firm specializing in high cost of failure engagements. They provide powerful teams of thoughtful, full-stack developers and designers to bring ideas to life. SEP makes software that matters more – software that keeps planes in the sky and helps first responders save lives. Founded in 1988, SEP is one of Indiana’s largest software development firms with 140+ employees. Clients span from high-growth scale-ups to Fortune 100 companies. The company is 100 percent employee-owned and is consistently recognized as a top workplace. For more information, visit sep.com.
Good thing Henry Mestetsky and the CRC mortgaged SEP’s current home, the James Building, for the Hotel Carmichael. Hat tip to Gregg Feigh for putting two and two together. And capitalism reigns (ha!) as socialistic IEDC helps Westfield cannibalize its neighbor Carmel.