Workiva Celebrates Grand Opening of Ames, Iowa Headquarters
State-of-the-art Facility Supports Cutting-edge Software Culture
Ames, IA, October 1, 2014 – Workiva, which has pioneered a cloud-based and mobile-enabled platform for enterprises to collaboratively compile, manage, report and analyze critical business data in real time, today celebrates the grand opening of its corporate headquarters in Ames, Iowa.
The buildings’ interiors showcase open-floor designs that foster creativity and collaboration, which are essential to Workiva software development and corporate culture. The headquarters also include a fitness center, gourmet cafeteria, game room, and indoor and outdoor spaces that parallel environments found in other progressive software companies.
“To compete for talent in the software industry, we must provide the same type of top-quality amenities that high-tech employees are routinely offered elsewhere,” said Matthew Rizai, Workiva Chief Executive Officer. "
Workiva’s decision to expand in Ames demonstrates their commitment to continued growth in Iowa,” said Gov. Terry Branstad. "They have been able to benefit from Iowa's talent pipeline and are showing the world what can be accomplished here."
"Workiva is a great example of what can happen when entrepreneurs take an idea, find the right resources and leverage local support systems to build a rapidly growing business,” said Brian Waller, incoming President of the Technology Association of Iowa.
The Workiva buildings were created in two phases, from December 2012 to May 2014, and span 120,000 square feet in the ISU Research Park. Workiva received assistance from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and a tax abatement from the city of Ames. “We are grateful for the continued support of our investors, the ISU Research Park, Iowa State University, the State of Iowa, and the Ames Community, who all had a role in our headquarters,” said Rizai.
The buildings were designed with features to minimize environmental impact, including skylights to maximize natural light, floor-to-ceiling windows with automated, energy-efficient shades, and state-ofthe-art water conservation systems. Most furnishings were made with recycled products. Native prairie plants, along with bioswales in the parking lots, help filter pollutants and reduce storm-water runoff.
“Governor Branstad and I have had the opportunity to visit Workiva’s Ames headquarters multiple times, and we’re always impressed with the company’s focus on sustainability,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. “We’re proud of Iowa companies like Workiva that continue to grow at home.”
About Workiva
Workiva, formerly WebFilings, has pioneered a cloud-based and mobile-enabled platform for enterprises to collaboratively compile, report and analyze critical business data in real time. The company’s secure product platform, Wdesk, is used by more than 2,100 corporate customers, including over 60% of the Fortune 500. Wdesk allows users to integrate and control all of their business data, regardless of format or location, with innovative live-linking technology. This enables users to dynamically define their business processes, optimize workflows, and gain insights based on their trusted data, which supports better real-time decision-making. Workiva employs more than 900 people with offices in 15 cities. The company is headquartered in Ames, Iowa. For more information, visit www.workiva.com.