Published: May 17, 2008 09:17 pm      

Area native hopes to bring branch of business home

Mike Grattan has the same simple desire held by many young professionals raised in the Johnstown region – he wants to stay here.

Grattan’s current arrangement isn’t too bad. As a project manager for DRIVE Developments of Sterling Heights, Mich., he’s able to telecommute part of the time from his local home and travel to the Detroit suburbs periodically.

But Grattan’s ambitions, like those of his company, are bigger. He wants to expand DRIVE by adding an office in the Johnstown area, and he is taking steps to make that dream a reality.

“I want to live here, and I want to work here,” Grattan said. “As someone in that position, I have worked pretty hard to set up a scenario where I can live in my hometown but still have a good job that’s within my area of expertise.”

Grattan said he has arranged for his boss, Larry Osentoski, DRIVE’s founder, to visit Johnstown and tour possible facilities sometime this month.

Osentoski and Grattan are also scheduled to attend Showcase for Commerce at month’s end to make connections and see what business possibilities might be available for DRIVE in this region.

“I know some of the folks there,” Osentoski said. “There are some real good companies down that way.”

DRIVE is an acronym for Diagnostic Research and Innovative Vehicle Engineering, and it characterizes the company well. The engineering solutions provider specializes in vehicular diagnostics and prognostics among other services.

The company has one main product line, Diagnostic Information Management Environment, or DIME, which has both commercial and military customers. In September, the company was awarded a one-year, $2.9 million contract to develop the next generation of onboard vehicle diagnostics for the U.S. Army.

The company, founded in July, has grown to about 10 employees. Osentoski said he expects the company will double in staff each year for the next years.

While no deal to place an office locally has been cemented, Osentoski said the Johnstown area is attractive. He noted that the area has become nationally recognized for defense work and the local business community receives strong congressional support from U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown.

What Osentoski said has most captured his attention is Grattan’s desire to add to the region’s business community.

“It’s very personal to Mike, and because of that it’s very personal to me,” Osentoski said. “We’re a very close-knit group here, and we believe in supporting one another.”

While Osentoski and Grattan are aware of Murtha’s influence in the defense industry, that is not the primary reason for considering a Johnstown location. They hope to work with the congressman, but Grattan said his aspirations aren’t as simple as political positioning.

“I want to build something that’s going to last beyond the congressman,” Grattan said. “I want to build something here that will be around long after he’s gone. I feel that I’m in a good position to do it.”