According to a 2004 EDC "High Tech Industries in Rhode Island" report, Lincoln has 19 firms, second in Northern RI only to Pawtucket’s 39.

And according to Thomas Mrva – president of Lincoln-based Lighthouse Computer Services, which had projected revenue of $105 million in 2005 – the location of the town has been a key selling point for companies like his.

“In our case, the sole reason to locate in Lincoln is because it is central to our customer base in the Northeast,” Mrva said in an e-mail.

For Lighthouse, moving to Massachusetts could mean shifting operations to a location as close as five miles from its current one, Mrva said. “We intend to stay in Lincoln at least two more years,” Mrva said. “We have been approached by Massachusetts and Connecticut. … We intend to study all of our options.”

Both [Town Planner Albert] Ranaldi and Lincoln Town Administrator Sue Sheppard said the town does not offer tax incentives to attract companies. However, the town has excelled in working with companies wishing to locate in Lincoln to make sure they fit regulations that have become slightly dated.