Investor Spotlight: USAA
May 23, 2017
The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to 12 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength.
Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio but has maintained a presence in Tampa and Hillsborough County for many decades. In November 2013, USAA made one of the most significant economic development announcements in Hillsborough County history, with plans to expand its presence by creating up to 1,215 new jobs and $164.3 million in capital investment by 2019.
As the vice president and general manager of USAA’s Tampa campuses, Yvette Segura provides leadership as the most senior USAA officer to the thousands of employees in Tampa. She is responsible for shaping workplace culture, with particular focus on alignment with USAA’s mission, core values, and sales and service philosophy. Segura has worked in the insurance industry since 1984 and has been with USAA since February 1989.
1) As a business leader here, what aspects make Tampa and Hillsborough County such an attractive location for companies and talent?
The Tampa Bay area is a supportive and exciting community to live and work in. As an employer, Tampa Bay provides a great talent pool of qualified employees. USAA has had a presence in Tampa for 44 years; we have two large campuses here with over 3,000 employees, and we’re growing every day. The colleges and universities work well and closely with the business community to make sure the talent supports the business.
2) In your opinion, what was the biggest win for our community in the past few years?
Well, I’m probably a little biased, but one of the big wins was the fact that USAA chose Tampa as the location to add a second campus. The company saw the success of our first operational site, a rich talent pool that could support the growth and decided to expand here. Our building at Crosstown Center in Brandon was opened for business in October 2015. The 420,000 square–foot facility is the largest build-to-suit office project in Hillsborough County since 2001. This expansion promised to bring more than 1,000 new, high-quality jobs to the area.
3) How does your company impact the business culture of Tampa and Hillsborough County?
As a financial services provider of choice for the military and their families, USAA also supports the military community with nearly 30 percent of our employees being veterans or military spouses. When we give our time, talent, and treasure to the community, we focus on key areas of need for both the military and the community as a whole. And while USAA alone can’t hire every veteran in, or coming to, Tampa, we work with the rest of the business community to promote the value of veterans as employees. We hosted a webinar with the EDC in September 2016, highlighting best practices for hiring and retaining veterans.
4) How has the EDC helped your company continue to grow and thrive here in Hillsborough County?
The EDC assisted USAA in selecting Tampa as the location to grow for its expansion in 2013. And the EDC has continued to support USAA by promoting Tampa as a place for employers and employees to thrive. We’re more than just a city with a great quality of life; we have industry leaders operating here, a great talent pool, and a friendly business climate. With the EDC promoting these aspects of the Tampa Bay community, the local business community and prospective employees have the opportunity to see Tampa as the right place to expand, grow, and succeed.
