Opportunity for SIU students to find technology jobs in southern Illinois increased Friday when Liaison Technologies, a data management company, doubled in size.

SIU graduates make up 95 percent of the firm’s 56 employees. The firm celebrated its new office space with a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday.

“We have recognized that a lot of the students coming out of SIU are a perfect fit for our industry,” said Bonnie Kucharski, director of managed services for Liaison.

She said the company’s strategy is to find students from SIU with technical degrees, and who want to stay in this area because there are not many of those jobs in the region.

“We provide that opportunity for them. We are a technical company and we are looking for technical graduates,” Kucharski said. “For people who grew up here and want to stay here it is perfect.”

She said Liaison recruits graduates to work through SIU Career Services. Michelle Garret, the career development specialist for Career Services said the company attends everything it can at SIU. Through career fairs or coming into the classrooms to talk with students and professors about options in this field around southern Illinois, Liaison maintains a relationship with the university.

“What Liaison does is take advantage of Carbondale’s place on the information super highway. We have a highly educated and motivated workforce,” Les O’Dell, executive director of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, said. “They get students with technological backgrounds and mindsets, and put them to work in cutting edge fields right away. It has really been a big boost not only for our tech sector but also for the community as a whole.”

Liaison helps companies, which do not speak the same language electronically. Liaison translates the data so everybody can communicate on an electronic level.

“We do data management and data integration. Essentially what that means is we help companies speak to each other electronically,” Kucharski said.

She said Liaison is in southern Illinois because a member of Liaisons’ executive staff never forgot his roots; Chief Operating Officer Larry Mieldezis grew up in Marion and is an SIU graduate.

“When Liaison was looking to expand, he thought of southern Illinois because it is his home,” Kucharsi said. “He was one of [those who] graduated with a technical degree, and looked for a job in the area, couldn’t find one and left. He wishes there were companies like Liaison when he graduated because he wishes he stayed at home.”

Garret said general career fairs are hosted in the fall and spring. There will be a more specific fair for science, technology, engineering and math fields on Oct. 29 in the Student Center Ballroom. So far 48 companies have registered for the fair, and they hope to get up to 60 companies.

The spring fair on Feb. 25 also includes S.T.E.M. fields and is shaping up to have around 75 businesses at the event.

Garret said any interested students, should go to the Career Services website for more information on these events, and for resources on how to prepare your resume and yourself for a business setting. They also host an online job board—Saluki Recruiting—for SIU students to connect with businesses.

Dana Stoerger can be reached at [email protected]