America's 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies Revealed

Dec. 1, 2008

NEW YORK , Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. ranked Passport Health 3,296 on its annual ranking of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. The list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy -- America's independent-minded entrepreneurs. Taken as a whole, these companies represent the backbone of the U.S. economy.

"Our second annual Inc. 5000 continues the most ambitious project in business journalism," said Inc. 5000 Project Manager Jim Melloan . "The Inc. 5000 gives an unrivalled portrait of young, underreported companies across all industries doing fascinating things with cutting-edge business models, as well as older companies that are still showing impressive growth."

Passport Health has become the nation's largest provider of travel medical services and vaccinations growing form 106 offices in 2006 to more than 160. Passport Health provides destination-specific travel health information and immunizations for international travelers. Clients include major corporations, universities and NGO's. "I am thrilled that our company is being recognized with this honor," commented Fran Lessans , Passport Health's founder and CEO.

Passport Health's Travel Medicine Specialists administer and prescribe vaccinations and medications recommended by the CDC, WHO, and other world surveillance organizations that constantly monitor outbreaks and other health hazards that affect travelers when they arrive at their destination. Services include a full range of immunizations, travel health information, protective vaccines for a healthy lifestyle, and on-site immunizations for groups and organizations, including flu clinics. More information on Passport Health can be found at http://www.passporthealthusa.com.

The 5000 companies that made the list reported aggregate revenue of $185 billion and median three-year growth of 147 percent. Most important, the 2008 Inc. 5000 companies were engines of job growth, having created more than 826,033 jobs since those companies were founded. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and a list of the fastest-growing companies that can be sorted by industry and region can be found at http://www.inc5000.com.

Hottest Regions for Fastest-Growing Companies

The New York metro area tops the Inc. 5000 list with the most companies of any city with 355. Washington, D.C. comes in a close second with 300 companies on the list; Los Angeles comes in third with 244 companies, and Atlanta (194 companies) and Chicago (189 companies) round out the top five. Interestingly, only 62 companies on the Inc. 5000 are not based in metropolitan areas.

Grand Rapids, Mich. leads the list with the highest median revenue of any metro area ($26.2 million, 16 companies), followed by San Antonio, Texas ($21.3 million, 25 companies), Baton Rouge, La. ($18.8 million, 14 companies), Houston ($17.1 million, 97 companies), and Kansas City, Mo. -Kan. ($16.5 million, 39 companies).

Hottest Industries for Fastest-Growing Businesses

The most notable median growth categories among the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing businesses are in the Energy category (which grew by 298%), followed by Government Services (which grew by 220%), Security (200% growth), IT Services and Software (both grew by 187%), and Consulting (which grew by 182% on average).

The largest business category is IT Services, with 579 Inc. 5000 companies. Business Services (532 companies), Construction (459), Manufacturing (405), and Advertising & Marketing (361) complete the top five industries ranked on the 2008 Inc. 5000.

Industries reporting the highest median revenue are Travel ($38.8 million), Financial Services ($16.3 million), Logistics ($15.4 million) Government Services ($14.2 million), and Energy ($14.2 million).

Methodology

The 2008 Inc. 5000 list measures revenue growth from 2004 through 2007. To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based and privately held, independent -- not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies -- as of December 31, 2007 , and have had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2004, and $2 million in 2007.

Companies can apply for next year's Inc. 5000 by registering with "IncBizNet, Business Network for Private Companies", at http://www.incbiznet.com.

About Passport Health: Founded in 1994, Passport Health is the largest provider of travel medical services in the United States with convenient locations nationwide. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure we can prepare you for your trip with destination-specific travel information, immunizations, specialty travel products, and international travel health insurance. Passport Health is a leading provider of travel health information and immunizations for international travelers, major corporations, universities and other international organizations. Our nationwide staff is comprised of professionals that include board-certified physicians and registered nurses who have completed rigorous training in the field of travel medicine and immunology. We currently operate 166 locations in 36 states.

Passport Health's services include adult and adolescent immunizations for business and leisure travel, college, immigration, military readiness, disaster relief, and bioterrorism response. Our on-site services for employers and schools include onsite clinics for Flu, Meningitis, and more. Passport Health has provided anthrax vaccinations and smallpox vaccination training and has worked with the US military, Post Office, and Federal employees and currently runs a 24/7 immunization call center for the Department of Defense.

About Inc.com

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Jorge Eduardo Castillo

[email protected]

410.727.0556

SOURCE Passport Health

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