Omar Usmani brought IT jobs to Glens Falls when he moved his firm from Washington DC. Now he has donated 1st floor office space to EDC and LDC.
By Lisa Balschunat
Omar Usmani saw potential and growth in the region in 1998 when his corporation, Aeon Nexus, purchased a dilapidated downtown Glens Falls building and opened its office doors 14 months after major reconstruction and preservation of the 172 Glen Street building.
Aeon Nexus, previously headquartered in Washington D.C., was recognized recently by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a recipient of a 2012 Business Excellence Award for its company’s achievements, innovation, increased employment and ability to overcome adversity.
“I can’t thank Dan Burke and NBT Bank enough, not so much for the nomination of this award, but for his support and guidance since I moved here. He has been my local mentor and has helped me navigate the business climate in this area,” Mr. Usmani said. “His leadership and support of our business is truly a testament to NBT investing in us and in the community.”
The corporation, with offices in D.C., Dallas, Memphis, New York City and Denver, presently employs 11 full-time professionals and has room to expand to 17, Mr. Usmani indicated. “We are always hiring and trying to bring in more staff,” he said.
Aeon Nexus offers technology and finance solutions to Fortune 500 companies, associations and federal, state and local governments in making critical decisions about information technology and finance to improve business systems and processes. “Our business is fast-paced and very demanding,” he said in the company’s state-of-the-art facility in downtown Glens Falls, “and, the rewards equally gratifying.” Aeon Nexus partners with Oracle, Microsoft, salesforce.com, Ariba, invalua and SAP (Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing) to provide its clients with solutions that leads toward significant savings and sustainable growth.
Why did a business, with offices in five major metropolitan areas, move to this region? Mr. Usmani said he saw the growth potential and the convenience of doing business here, while concurrently recognizing the quality of life opportunities in the region. Additionally, his wife, who also is the company’s operations director, is originally from the area and has family here.
“I have a more relaxing life here,” Mr. Usmani said. “I’ve saved 600 hours a year in traffic alone. I’ve calculated the hours. I split that time now with my children, family, company and community. Also, I travel great deal. I can leave here for a 10 o’clock meeting in D.C. and be there in 2 hours,” he added noting the convenient flights at Albany International, minus the headaches and hassle of major metropolitan airports.
The combination of quality of life and business growth potential is a win-win for Aeon Nexus employees, Mr. Usmani indicated. “We have the beauty of Lake George, the culture of Saratoga, the growth of Glens Falls — people and resources connecting,” he said. The company employs graduates from Siena College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University at Albany. “I hope this generation will look inward and say: ‘How can I help our region, to further strengthen the community.”
Mr. Usmani is focused on the future. He homes in on the pluses and puts the minuses into perspective. “The absence of extreme traffic, crime, drugs, gangs and violence in our region allows other [elements of community] to flourish, because resources can go toward the good,” he stated. “I like nothing better than to see the restaurants near our office filled and people enjoying themselves,” Mr. Usmani added. “Good leadership in government leads the way to good business, and that paves the way for people to invest and spend their dollars here.”
Most recently, Aeon Nexus has offered Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Warren County and Washington County Local Development Corporation rent-free office space on the first floor of the Aeon Nexus building, where Vantage art gallery once resided. The two organizations will be moving in over the coming months. “Job creation is so important to a region,” Mr. Usmani said, “much more important than almost anything else.
“Economic development is first and foremost in any region,” he continued. “It makes good sense to help the EDC and LDC. They were my first contacts in the region. NBT Bank was my second. When jobs are available, everything else flows – recreation, culture and community thrive.” The Aeon Nexus executive added. “Collaboration and cooperation make [the region] stronger. They are the reason why we are here. Investing in the EDC and LDC is a social and corporate responsibility. It is an investment in future development and growth.”
Mr. Usmani’s definition of “the region” spans from the Capital District to the Adirondack blue line and there aren’t any demarcations in between. In his eyes Albany, Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties collectively form a region rich with economic, potential, the support of higher education and the opportunity to improve the quality of life.
“The way of doing business continues to change. We either adapt or die,” he pointed out. “People in this region want to be adaptors especially in the field of new technology. “The growth of CNSE (College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering) and GlobalFoundries means opportunity for the region to grow.” Usmani is a member of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s capital region economic development council and indicated that Aeon Nexus is planning to expand next in Albany.
For more information, visit www.aeonnexus.com or call 338-1551.