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Week of December 5, 2002 |
| Ryder Systems to keep global headquarters in Miami-Dade By Frank NortonAfter flirting with South Broward for a year, homegrown global logistics giant Ryder Systems is staying with Miami-Dade County. The company, grossing $5 billion a year, is expected this week to announce its 700-employee headquarters will move from Northwest 82nd Avenue in Miami to a smaller one in Medley. The new location, Beacon Station business park, offers proximity and design. "It's not so much a location-driven decision as a facility-driven one," said David Bruce, Ryder Systems spokesman. He said the company wanted smarter ergonomic offices to foster communication and eliminate extra space and overhead. Until last month, the other frontrunner was a site in Miramar, Mr. Bruce and others said. Ryder's relocation had flared turf tension between Miami-Dade and Broward in the past year, said Jack Lowell, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce chairman. "It's been a very sensitive issue for a long time because of the two counties' fighting," he said, referring to disagreements over the use of tax-funded relocation incentives. Mr. Lowell is also vice chair of Codina Realty Services, which helped broker Ryder's move. Officially, however, Codina, like Ryder, declined to confirm the deal. "We'd love to comment, love to brag, but we're bound by our client not to speak and do not want to jeopardize that," a Codina spokeswoman said. "Ryder is definitely a catalytic investment for the county and part of why we would bend over backward to keep them," said Bryan Finnie, head of Miami-Dade's Office of Community and Economic Development. Founded in Miami nearly 70 years ago, Ryder has evolved from a truck-leasing firm to a logistics, transportation and integrative-solutions provider with more than 29,000 employees worldwide.
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