Companies in Ocala

Revving Up Engines…Creating More Jobs
Scorpion Performance Moves South Florida Operations to Marion County

Justin Cretty, a UF student studying mechanical engineering thought the sign was too good to be true. He often passed by the Coming Soon signage welcoming Scorpion Performance to Marion County on his trips home from the University. Justin has grown up with the Scorpion brand. His father builds performance engines and manages a speedway, and Justin has been involved in racing all his life.

“I’ve always wanted to be involved in the automotive industry,” says Justin. “But, the way the economy was going while I was in school, with top automotive manufacturers being bailed out, left me feeling very concerned. Many of my fellow graduates are still looking for jobs, have gone back to school, or moved out of state. I was very excited to see that Coming Soon sign. I took a shot and applied and was hired a month after I graduated.”

Justin was on board assisting with the set-up of the facility before Scorpion had fully moved operations to Marion County. “It really is amazing to have the opportunity to be a part of a company that takes a chunk of metal and uses incredible precision and technology to transform it into components that I would see delivered to my father’s shop.”

Scott Reynolds was hired as the VP of Marketing in South Florida with the knowledge the company would be relocating. He embraced the move as part of the appeal. “My wife and I were thrilled to have the opportunity to move to this special community. We were fortunate when our house sold quickly and made the move sooner than we anticipated. We bought a home, settled in and our children are happy. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Scorpion Performance has been manufacturing high performance engine valve train parts for street and racing applications in South Florida since 1999. Robert Stopanio and his wife Teresa started the company after 30 years experience in powerboat and automotive racing. The company’s commitment to innovation, quality and its loyal customer base has led to exceptional growth. Scorpion was land-locked in its former location and needed a new site to grow. The Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Corporation worked with the Scorpion team in the relocation process.

“We appreciate Pete Tesch and the EDC team for their assistance with our project,” stated CEO Luke Whalen. “They walked us through the process here and provided the support we needed to make a smooth transition. We also thank the City of Ocala and the Marion County Commission for their role in bringing our project to fruition.”

Scorpion met the challenge of keeping production and customer supply in motion during the move. The next wave of growth will come with the expansion of their medical device product line. Scorpion has incorporated innovative high-tech robotics in their manufacturing process and been able to diversify into this arena. Whalen sees this as a key factor in the company’s future.

“While we have produced automotive components for some time, the technology used in that production was also well-suited for medical devices,” says Whalen. “It is always smart to diversify your business. We just needed more room to grow that portion of the company to its full potential. This move afforded us the opportunity to grow our physical plant and our team which has proved very rewarding. We also recognize Workforce Connection for their proactive role in assisting with our recruitment.”

Scorpion team members pictured above: (L-R): Mechanical Engineer, Justin Cretty, Vice President of Marketing, Scott Reynolds, and CEO, Luke Whalen.

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