Provider of health care information systems to grow its operations in the Charleston region

JUNE 7, 2004 – PSSI, a company that provides information system enhancements for the health care industry, has announced the consolidation of its operations to the Charleston region. Today’s announcement was facilitated by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, an organization charged with helping to broaden, diversify and strengthen the regional economy.

PSSI, which is a registered trademark of Florida-based Perez Software Services Inc., has been operating satellite offices in a number of U.S. cities. In making its move to a unified home base, the firm also considered Orlando and Jacksonville, but the Charleston area emerged as the top choice.

“To position our company for future growth, we need to be in a location that will help us attract the best talent available,” said Michael Sutton, Vice President & General Manager. “The Charleston area is a highly desirable place to live, which will serve as a valuable recruitment tool for our business.

“We also see future business potential with the area’s impressive medical and healthcare sector,” he continued. “We know we’ve picked the right location, and we’re looking forward to a long-term relationship with this community.”

Founded in 1994, PSSI assists major hospital networks with their information management systems. The company’s web-based solutions provide cost-effective, secure access for managing patient records, billing, pharmaceutical, admissions, food service and other data-intensive operations.

“We are pleased to add PSSI to our region’s growing community of information technology companies,” said Bill Youngblood, Alliance Chairman. “As proven by this announcement, the Charleston area is fast becoming a destination of choice for companies that could literally locate anywhere in the world.”

Jim Rozier, Berkeley County Supervisor and County Council Chairman, welcomed the company to its new home in Goose Creek’s Crowfield Plantation. “We are pleased to see such a progressive, future-oriented firm choose our community as its new corporate home,” he said. “Those of us who live and work in Berkeley County agree that you have picked the right location. We stand ready to ensure success for PSSI and your employees for many years to come.”

By occupying the former Westvaco sales office in Crowfield, PSSI joins a thriving business community operating within the master-planned campus. Goose Creek Mayor, Michael J. Heitzler, noted: “We are honored that PSSI has chosen to locate in our community. Our city is benefiting from a strong, diverse corporate base. PSSI will certainly receive a warm welcome here.”

In facilitating competitive relocations or expansions for the region, the Alliance works with numerous partners and agencies. An especially noteworthy partnership exists with the State of South Carolina.

“The quality of life in Charleston was a big draw for the folks at PSSI,” said Governor Sanford. “In a similar fashion, we need to make sure the quality of the business environment in South Carolina is attractive to companies looking to move to any region in our state. That’s why this administration is focused on business-friendly reforms, such as income tax relief, that will serve as an added lure for companies to choose South Carolina as their home.”

“With this project and the recent news of the public-private sector health sciences collaboration, we’re well on our way to creating a healthcare cluster here in South Carolina,” said Commerce Secretary Bob Faith. “This is a perfect example of how we can leverage our various assets to compete for high-quality jobs and investment. In this case, it was our unbeatable quality of life that made the difference for PSSI. For another company, it might be our infrastructure, or our top-notch workforce. The bottom line is that we’ve got the goods to compete globally with anyone.”

PSSI is a full-service company providing information system enhancements and solutions to the medical industry across the United States. PSSI offers interface solutions, custom programming, upgrades, and graphical enhancements to routine and mission critical systems. The company currently has a staff of 12, but could nearly double that number within the next two to three years. For more information about the company, visit www.pssionline.com.

The Charleston Regional Development Alliance represents Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. Its mission is to broaden and diversify business investment in this region, with an emphasis on technology-intensive business sectors. Since its inception, the Alliance has facilitated more than 150 competitive expansions or relocations. To learn more, go to www.charleston-for-business.com.