Legion Logistics adds 24 employees, $1M investment

 

It's the second expansion in just one year for Legion Logistics, which moved to its current facility in Florence in March 2012. Last year, Legion tripled its workforce. This expansion will more than double it, and add 2500 square feet to its existing space to meet growing customer demand.

 

Legion was founded in 2009 by Tony Coutsoftides, a service-disabled veteran who immigrated to the U.S. from Cyprus when he was 16 years old to pursue a career in the military. After his injury, he translated his skill and experience in military logistics into an innovative customer service-based business that filled a need in the market. 

 

"Our mission is to be the best service provider we can be," says Lacy Starling, president of Legion Logistics. "That means providing our customers with seamless solutions, working with carriers to be ethical … [and] creating a work environment where people feel ownership, understand what their work means, are part of the goal-setting process, and are excited to come to work every day." 

 

Starling credits a supportive environment for business growth for Legion's decision to stay in Northern Kentucky. 

 

"We had options when we looked to move out of the house," Starling says. "It was a question of: Where do we feel at home in the community? Where have we been accepted and welcomed? Whenever we reach out to the Northern Kentucky community, we're referred to folks who are willing to just bend over backward to help you … and are willing to help you tap into their networks." 

 

Legion's expansion was aided by the Kentucky Business Investment (KBI) program. To encourage the investment and job creation in Northern Kentucky, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $300,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.

 

Coutsoftides, Starling and their employees have collaboratively set aggressive goals for the company's growth this year, so Northern Kentucky can look to Legion for more good news in the future.

 

"Our recruiting staff is sort of bleeding from the eyes right now, but when your employees set those goals and are involved in the process, they put in the extra time and effort to make it happen," Starling says. "I believe 100% that my employees can accomplish anything they put their mind to. I have no doubt that we're going to get there."