Direct Supply, a LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus, has been certified by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to earn up to $22.5 million in state income tax credits through WEDC’s Enterprise Zone Program.
An employee-owned company, Direct Supply plans to create up to 800 full-time employment positions at its campus on the northwest side of Milwaukee over the next 7 years.
The specific value of the company’s tax credits will depend on the number of jobs it creates and retains through 2023, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Direct Supply will also have to meet targets for employee training.
“For more than 30 years, Direct Supply has demonstrated its commitment to Wisconsin and Milwaukee, and the company has grown from a small operation to one with more than 1,100 employees in a 10-building campus and is a leader in its industry,” said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in a statement. “I applaud this employee-owned company for moving forward with an expansion plan that will provide hundreds of family supporting jobs for the residents of Milwaukee as well as the entire region.”
Employee-Owned and Expanding
Direct Supply provides equipment, eCommerce, and service solutions to the senior living field. The company recently announced plans to build a corporate headquarters building on its campus to house new employee-owners.
“Direct Supply is proud to continue its investment and job creation on its campus on Milwaukee’s northwest side,” Bob Hillis, Direct Supply founder and chief executive officer, told the Milwaukee Courier. “We look forward to continuing to partner with the State of Wisconsin, the City of Milwaukee, and partners throughout the community as we continue to grow our campus and add jobs.”
Economic Forecast
An economic study projects that Direct Supply’s expansion will generate more than 500 additional jobs in the region, over and above the 800 new jobs that Direct Supply creates directly, according to a statement from the governor’s office. Over a 5-year period, those 500 jobs are expected to create $33 million in additional state income tax revenue.
During an event announcing the company’s expansion, Walker said that jobs at Direct Supply have an average pay of more than $30 an hour, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.
"Those are exactly the types of jobs we need right here in the city of Milwaukee and in the state of Wisconsin," he said.