'Young and hungry' eat well in Tampa

A common refrain from Gulf Coast executives, that hiring and retaining talented people is a constant challenge, hasn't thwarted aggressive growth targets at PLS Logistics.

The suburban Pittsburgh-based company, which provides logistics and freight brokerage services for shippers in a variety of industries, opened a Tampa office late last year. It has since grown from nine to 60 employees, mostly in entry-level sales, with plans to hire another 150 people by mid-2016. The firm moved into a bigger space in the Westshore district in early November.

PLS Logistics Senior Vice President Bob Janeda says his experience hiring employees in Tampa has been relatively easy. “There is access to outstanding college graduates here,” Janeda tells Coffee Talk. “We have found some really great people.”