iJET International was ahead of the game when it started providing risk management solutions to the global travel industry. When the company formed in 1999, it was the beginning of a transformation that would drastically alter security departments and safe traveling across the globe.

Fast forward to the present, the company has tapped into a much-needed market and isn't slowing down anytime soon. iJET recently expanded to a larger office in Annapolis and is quickly approaching its 20 year anniversary.

iJET International sat down with MDBizNews to talk about its history and what the future holds.

How was iJET International formed?
In 1999, Paul Stiles had a vision for creating a travel health intelligence website in the height of the dot.com era. He approached our current iJET International CEO, Bruce McIndoe to assist with the technology launch.

As they developed the business plan, they agreed that shifting the focus to a more holistic approach, covering all risks associated with global business travel would create a more sustainable business. They took the concept to market in early 2000 and were funded in the 3rd quarter.

Give us a little more background information on risk-management and the travel industry.
iJET was one of the first companies to offer intelligence-driven risk management to the travel industry — a change that ultimately transformed travel and security departments worldwide. iJET's Travel Intelligence and Worldcue risk-management technology suite revolutionized corporate and government business travel with the promise of keeping employees safe — not just on time.

Building on that legacy, today we provide Integrated Risk Management solutions that begin and end with intelligence. Our proprietary technology and network of security, intelligence and geopolitical experts allows us to deliver unmatched custom intelligence, preparedness and global security and medical assistance solutions that help clients protect their people, facilities, suppliers and information around the world.

How have recent global events impacted your business? Are you working towards preventing travel incidents around the world?
The increasing frequency and severity of threats keeps our business top of mind for managers and employees. It starts the conversation for us. While we cannot prevent incidents from happening, we can help clients minimize the likelihood they are impacted through proactive risk management.

In 2015, you moved into a new facility. Are you planning on expanding your workforce and presence in Maryland?
We acquired our 30,000 square foot facility in Annapolis with growth in mind and will continue to expand our headquarters and operations in Maryland.

Where do you see the company in 10 years?
In 10 years, we expect to have significant presence in key global markets. We have already expanded into the UK, Japan, India and Singapore and have Regional Integrated Operations Centers in London, Africa and Singapore with plans for establishing operations centers in all five regions.

What advice would you give to similar companies starting in Maryland?
Any company looking for intelligence talent will find a deep reservoir in Maryland with the number of local aerospace and intelligence companies. Maryland is also a technology-friendly state, though finding available resources can be challenging. On the security assistance side, the former military presence in Maryland and the surrounding states makes finding qualified candidates much easier.

What else should we know about iJET?
iJET has created about 150 new jobs in Maryland over the past four years. Whether they have advanced within the company or moved on to other challenges, we've enjoyed watching our people grow.

When we built out the new Annapolis headquarters office, we created a state-of-the-art Global Integrated Operations Center in the center of our facility where our intelligence and security operations teams work together to serve our clients. Overall, our office spaces are thoughtfully designed for cross-team collaboration and efficiency.