ST. JOSEPH, MO.: News-Press & Gazette has invested $22 million in three data-hosting companies. The company has agreed to invest $2 million in two new start-ups in downtown St. Joseph, and $20 million in Online Tech, an established data-hosting firm in Ann Arbor and Flint, Mich.
“This investment by NPG provides us the ability to expand the business into additional markets across the Midwest,” said Online’s president and CEO, Yan Ness.
Online Tech said it has more than 60,000 square feet of data center space in Ann Arbor and Flint, serving midsize businesses ranging from $20 million to $1 billion in annual revenues. The company offers cloud-computing solutions that have been independently audited for both HIPPA (medical records) and PCI (credit card) security compliance.
Online Tech is expected to work in partnership with the new St. Joseph data centers, which will operate as Echo Cloud Solutions, LLC, a separate company formed by NPG in April.
“We can now provide data services to a range of customers that we couldn’t have reached through Echo alone,” said Jeff Penland, director of Cloud Services at NPG.
NPG noted that, “The St. Joseph centers the company adhered to the principles of its Green Initiative by utilizing global-friendly technologies, including the latest in energy-efficient power and cooling systems by Liebert Corp. The facilities employ redundant power systems and an advanced dual-path network structure. The facilities, located six miles apart, also offer geographic diversity.”
RBC Capital Markets acted as exclusive financial adviser to NPG, which owns TV stations in 10 markets, 14 newspapers and four radio stations.
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