Human Resources : Innovation + Job News

K12 Enterprise, a business software firm for public school systems, intends to double the number of employees from its current 40 within the next two to three years. The Towson firm's expansion is the result of its acquisition last month of Sartox, a Virginia-based firm that also specialized in business software for public school systems.

The company will hire developers, IT consultants, sales and marketing staff and help desk workers, K12 CEO Andrew Fass says. 

Of K12 Enterprise's employees, 11 came from Sartox. K12 Enterprise employees are being trained in the Sartox system in order to retain Sartox's customers and attract new ones. 
 
K12 Enterprise is Microsoft's leading enterprise-grade financial and human resource management software for school systems used from kindergarten through the 12th grade.

“Sartox occupied the same space but different geography,” Fass says.
 
K12 Enterprise operates primarily in Pennsylvania, with a presence in New York State, Connecticut, Virginia and Texas, according to Fass. Sartox’s customers were mainly in Virginia and North Carolina, where it served more than 50 percent of the latter state’s 110 school systems. K12 Enterprises intends to attract customers in those and other southern states, Fass says.
 
K12 Enterprise installs the software, converts the school system’s data to the system, trains school personnel on its use and provides ongoing support and maintenance. The price is based on the number of students in a school district, and can range from $40,000 to $250,000 and up.
 
K12 Enterprise and Sartox established a partnership in 2010 when Sartox became an official reseller of K12 Enterprise software. Terry Garber, Sartox’s president, has become general manager of K12 Enterprise’s Virginia office. 

Source: K12 Enterprise CEO Andrew Fass
Writer: Barbara Pash

Technology hiring in the greater Baltimore area is higher than the national average and projected to continue growing. That is according to data from  Hanover information technology staffing and managed services giant TEKsystems.

“Baltimore is one of the most active cities when it comes to people applying for open job postings when compared to other cities in the U.S. of similar size,” says TEKsystems Market Research Manager Jason Hayman.

The company's data shows that from 2010 to 2011, the Baltimore area saw a 20 percent increase in technology job openings. That figure is 5 percent higher than the national average. Baltimore's proximity to many federal agencies that are implementing cyber security and technology initiatives and the financial services, healthcare and insurance industries' demand for IT professionals results in a greater demand for technology jobs.

TEKsystems reports that demand is high for business analysts, Java developers and project managers. Hybrid professionals with both technical and business expertise are also in  demand.

Writer: Amy McNeal
Sources: Jason Hayman and Brendan Foerster, TEKsystems

Baltimore County is adding more services and greater outreach to the HOMEFRONT – Our Turn To Serve veteran reintegration program. The program is designed to help veterans returning from deployment find jobs and settle back in at home in Baltimore.

The program offers veterans an array of services to help with reintegration, says Baltimore County spokeswoman Ellen Kobler. A special section of the county website is dedicated to providing veterans with a one stop clearinghouse of information about veterans services. Baltimore County's Workforce Centers in Hunt Valley, Eastpoint and Randallstown have a full time staffer at each location dedicated to helping veterans find new jobs. Baltimore County has also instituted a hiring preference for veterans, giving them priority for screening and hiring for vacant county positions.

Baltimore County has open positions in nursing, corrections, emergency services and purchasing. The county will be spreading the word about its veterans initiatives and deploying its Mobile Career Center at Yellow Ribbon Reintegration events sponsored by the National Guard throughout the year.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Ellen Kobler, Baltimore County Office of Communications

AVF Consulting is hiring. The Towson-based company, a Microsoft Silver ERP partner specializing in Microsoft Dynamics NAV financial management systems, has added four positions this year, and has two more positions open currently. The company is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month.

"AVF began in 1986 when Andrew Fass, a CPA for a big five accounting firm, coupled his strength in accounting with his love for technology and started AVF Consulting. Andrew began AVF Consulting because he had the skills and vision required to provide businesses not only with the right software, but with guidance and direction," says Karen Tran, Marketing Specialist at AVF Consulting.

The company has also added several new programs and clients this year. AVF's K12 Enterprise division added Groton Public Schools in Connecticut, Vandalia-Butler City Schools in Ohio, and YES Prep Charter Schools in Texas to its client list. The National Endowment for Democracy purchased Serenic Navigator from AVF in July 2011.

"AVF recently hired a customer care representative and has another position open. We are actively recruiting a consultant with deep NAV and retail experience. Because we specialize in Microsoft Dynamics NAV we are always looking for highly skilled and experienced NAV consultants," Tran continues.

In 2011, AVF launched Dynamic Shared Services (DSS), a shared services organization, providing accounting, membership management, dues processing, and reporting services to organizations. DSS currently serves Labor Unions throughout the country, but plans to provide services to nonprofits and school districts. The company also plans to release Click-to-Pay Invoicing for its ChargeLogic Connect systems in the fourth quarter of 2011.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Karen Tran, AVF Consulting

Welsh Construction remodeling is celebrating 50 years in business this month, and looking to the future with new programs and new hires. Welsh Construction Remodeling recently added four staffers -- a  residential salesperson, an insurance salesperson, a Vice President of Operations, and a marketing and digital media coordinator.

"Welsh has been so enduring because of the quality of our people, and the fact that when we do work, we do it the Welsh way. We have so many of our own craftsmen and don't subcontract a lot of work. So we are able to control the production process and the quality of our work. And our first job and our last job that we get are only as good as the experience that our customers have. So we always make sure we do the right thing," says Joe Myerhoff, President and CEO of Welsh Construction Remodeling LLC

The company is making charitable donations as part of the celebration. Welsh is running a sweepstakes in celebration of its golden anniversary, and matching charitable donations to three area causes made by sweepstakes entrants.

"As a member of the community, it was important to Welsh to embrace some type of philanthropic activity for several of the area non-profits which are each doing a lot of good. And tying it into our 50th anniversary just made an awful lot of sense. We were very happy to be able to do this," Myerhoff continues.

Welsh Construction Remodeling is planning to expand its services this year, adding roofing, innovative new types of insulation, and a Fine Homes division.


Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Joe Myerhoff, Welsh Construction Remodeling