Global Software focused on growth in new digs

On Tuesday, Ron Kupferman announced the sale of his Raleigh software company Peopleclick for an eye-popping $100 million in cash.

A few miles north, his sons were busy running their smaller company, which sells spreadsheet software to accountants and others.

"I'm 36 and my brother is 40," said Spencer Kupferman, vice president of corporate affairs at Global Software. "We're young guys, we love what we do and we haven't accomplished our goals here."

He didn't reject the possibility of selling Global Software if the right offer came along, but the brothers for now are focused on attracting new customers.

"We get inquiries all the time from investment bankers, private investors and other software companies," he said. "The reality is we're going to come to work with our lunch pails and our hard hats on and see where the chips fall."

Global Software, which Ron Kupferman founded in 1970, now employs more than 80 people. Spencer Kupferman said he expects to add at least 10 more this year. His brother Matthew Kupferman is the company's president.

The company last month moved to cushier offices off Atlantic Avenue in North Raleigh. The 13,000 square-foot space is about the same as Global Software's previous offices, but Spencer Kupferman said they were able to negotiate a better deal with a new landlord, Highwoods Properties of Raleigh. He declined to comment on specific terms.

Former landlord Craig Davis Properties "did a great job for us for many years," he said, but Global Software also wanted to expand its relationship with Highwoods, which happens to be a big customer.

"In this economy, you have real-estate people scrapping for your business," Spencer Kupferman added. "It's a buyer's market."

Global Software "didn't do as well as we would have liked" in 2009, but remains profitable, he said. And 2010 looks brighter, with more customers planning to increase spending on new software.