Blue Streak Named 2011 Florida Company to Watch

January 6, 2011

BLUE STREAK COURIERS IS NAMED AS ONE OF 2011 FLORIDA COMPANIES TO WATCH

(ORLANDO) – Jacksonville-based Blue Streak Couriers has been recognized as a recipient of the 2011 Florida Companies to WatchSM award, an honor presented by GrowFL, the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at the University of Central Florida and ACG Florida, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation. Fifty companies from across the state of Florida will receive their awards at an awards gala on Thursday, February 17 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando.

Florida Companies to Watch is an awards program that celebrates privately held second-stage companies headquartered in the state. To be eligible, applicants must employ between 6 and 99 full-time equivalent employees and have between $750,000 and $50 million in annual revenue or working capital in place. Awardees are selected for demonstrating the intent and capacity to grow based on employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, sustainable competitive advantage or other notable strengths.

Blue Streak is a Jacksonville-based transportation company with the capability to provide same-day, same-market delivery service throughout the southeastern United Sates. From On-demand, Routed/Scheduled, Next Flight Out, Critical Parts/Warehousing & Distribution services, Blue Streak can deliver a wide variety of items according to specific client needs and time requirements.

The two very important components to Blue Streak’s success are professional drivers and technology.

The drivers serve as ambassadors not only of the Blue Streak brand, but also of the client companies they serve. To maintain the image of professionalism, preference is given to mature, professional ladies and gentlemen with experience in the transportation industry. All drivers wear a full uniform, including picture identification. They are licensed and insured and pass an extensive background check prior to initiating service.

The second, equally important component is how Blue Streak leverages technology. Not only can clients enter requests electronically, but they can elect to receive email confirmations upon each step of the delivery cycle: order submission, pick-up, and delivery. This feature provides full visibility of shipments with real-time information. This allows customers to focus on their core competencies instead of worrying about deliveries. Additionally, clients can receive invoices electronically and pay via ACH.

About second-stage businesses and Florida Companies to Watch

Florida Companies to Watch is unique because of its focus on second-stage companies and the wide- ranging industries they represent. The impact of these companies on Florida’s economy is immense, and this year’s honorees are examples of such companies in the state. During 2006-2008, Florida’s resident companies averaged more than 111,000 second-stage establishments according to YourEconomy.org, an online resource of the Edward Lowe Foundation. Those second-stage companies employed more than two million workers.

Looking at the contributions of these companies, only 6 percent of Florida’s resident establishments were in the second-stage category, however, they generated more than 31 percent of net new jobs in the state.

For more information: www.Florida.CompaniesToWatch.org and www.YourEconomy.org

About GrowFL and the Florida Economic Gardening Institute

GrowFL is the official Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Pilot Program funded by the State of Florida and a program of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute. Created in 2009 to stimulate investment in Florida’s economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state, the Florida Economic Gardening Institute is headquartered at the University of Central Florida under contract with the State of Florida’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development under the Executive Office of the Governor. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.

About ACG Florida

ACG Florida is a statewide collaboration of the four Florida chapters of the Association for Corporate Growth: Orlando, North Florida, South Florida and Tampa Bay. ACG is the global community for middle market M&A dealmakers and business leaders focused on driving growth. ACG members have access to data, content and networking to access capital, make deals and drive corporate growth. Founded in 1954, ACG has grown to more than 13,000 members organized in 55 chapters throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.acg.org/florida

About the Edward Lowe Foundation

The Edward Lowe Foundation inspired the creation of the Companies to Watch program to celebrate second-stage entrepreneurs and their companies. Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through recognition, education and research with a focus on second-stage companies—those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. The foundation also encourages economic gardening, an entrepreneur-centered strategy providing balance to the traditional approach of business recruitment. For information about the Edward Lowe Foundation, visit www.EdwardLowe.org.

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