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Florida firm buys Augusta software company
[January 16, 2013]

Florida firm buys Augusta software company


Jan 16, 2013 (The Augusta Chronicle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A homegrown software company has a new owner.

ESi, headquartered in downtown Augusta and recognized for years on the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation, was acquired by Florida-based Intermedix Corp., a provider of billing and management software for the U.S. healthcare and emergency response industries.



Intermedix officials said the Augusta operation will remain in place and some of the company leaders have accepted senior leadership roles with the new firm. Terms of the acquisition were not divulged.

Atila Omer, a senior vice president with Intermedix, said the two firms had a working relationship for years prior to the merger.


"Intermedix has acquired a series of technology companies over the years that are best-in-class in certain aspects of emergency services, be it public health, hospital and EMS operations," Omer said.

He said Intermedix sought to buy ESi and will be expanding its major software offering, called WebEOC, with more functions.

WebEOC is a web-based system that lets groups like hospitals, fire departments and police communicate in real-time during a disaster, such as a hurricane. More than 700 emergency management agencies around the world use WebEOC to manage everything from day-to-day operations to major incidents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency became a client in August, replacing its outdated emergency management software with WebEOC.

"We do things currently with reverse 9-1-1, patient and evacuee tracking, personnel accountability ... so we see a major combination of the capailities within that WebEOC console that gives emergency managers and field-level managers incredible access to information real time," Omer said.

ESi -- short for Emergency Service Integrators -- started in 1996 as a 9-1-1 technology spinoff from Savannah River Site. It now has 100 employees.

"They were pioneers in taking this kind of technology to the internet. But as the company has become a dominant player in the market, the need for capital and resources to build out an international program is a tough transition," Omer said. "WebEOC is the Kleenex or Coca-Cola of the industry. Everyone knows the brand. We're going to continue to build on that." Intermedix, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been steadily acquiring firms since 2006 and now has about 2,000 employees. It is owned by capital group Thomas H. Lee Partners, which has investment interest in Aramark, Dunkin' Brands, Experian, Houghton Mifflin, Snapple and Warner Music Group.

ESi principals John O'Dell, Nadia Butler and Paul Butler will continue in senior leadership roles at Intermedix.

___ (c)2013 The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) Visit The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) at chronicle.augusta.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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