Governor Haslam, Commissioner Hagerty, Blount County Officials Announce Expansion of TeamHealth
Create Nearly 550 Jobs in Alcoa
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty and Blount County officials today joined with representatives from TeamHealth to announce plans by the company to expand its corporate operations by leasing a new facility to be constructed at Base Pointe Business Park in Alcoa, Tenn. The project developers will invest nearly $18 million and create 160 full-time jobs, with the anticipation of growing to 550 jobs in management, accounting, medical coding, billing and clerical.
“I appreciate TeamHealth’s commitment to and investment in Blount County,” Haslam said. “We will continue to focus on creating a business climate that gives companies the confidence to invest and create jobs as we work toward becoming the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
“Under Governor Haslam’s Jobs4TN plan, our department is committed to helping existing Tennessee businesses expand and remain competitive in our state,” Hagerty said. “This investment represents the types of high-skilled jobs that Tennessee needs to grow our economy.”
Founded in 1979, TeamHealth is headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn. Through its six principal service lines located in 13 regional sites, TeamHealth’s more than 6,600 affiliated healthcare professionals provide emergency medicine, anesthesiology, hospital medicine, and pediatric staffing and management services to more than 700 civilian and military hospitals, clinics and physician groups in 45 states. TeamHealth has provided the emergency department physician services at Blount Memorial Hospital for 25 years.
“Expansions like these are only made possible through the coordination and cooperation among many on the state and local levels, including Bryan Daniels, Mayors Ed Mitchell and Don Mull, and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development,” Joe Carman, chief administrative officer, TeamHealth. “We are happy to keep our business in Blount County and hope to continue to help Blount County grow as a solid place to work and live.”
The new facility will be the company’s second facility in Alcoa, with the first housing 400 employees. Blount County has committed to improving the roadways on Topside Road and Wrights Ferry Road just off the Pellissippi Parkway (Exit 9 on I-140) to accommodate increased traffic flow.
"The Blount Partnership is excited about this fantastic opportunity for Blount County and the Innovation Valley Region,” Bryan Daniels, president and CEO, Blount Partnership, said. “The past 12 months have been a very prosperous time for our community's economic development programs with $100 million in new capital investments to go along with 960 announced jobs. These achievements would not be possible without the support of Blount County government, the City of Alcoa, the City of Maryville, the volunteers in the Blount Partnership's Boards and the regional support of the Innovation Valley partners.”
“Having an organization like TeamHealth choose to expand in this area really speaks to the quality of life for its employees and our solid business community,” City of Alcoa Mayor Don Mull said. “We appreciate the hard work of the Blount Partnership to pull all the parts together to make this expansion occur.”
“This is a substantial commitment by TeamHealth, and we are happy that it has decided to continue to make Alcoa its home,” said Dr. Matt Murray, chair, Economic Development Board of Blount County and the Cities of Alcoa and Maryville. “With their retention, it only lends credence to the knowledge that Blount County is a solid place for continued development.”
“We are really thrilled about this expansion effort by TeamHealth, and its commitment to this community with continued job growth,” said Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell. “The economic impact will be felt for years to come and can only open the door for similar entities to consider this thriving area.”
“We’d like to thank our local government leaders for lending their support and doing the things to make this project happen,” said Greg Wilson, chair, Blount County Chamber of Commerce. “I would also like to thank TeamHealth for its continued backing of the local economy and choosing to stay in Blount County.”
Initial hiring and construction on the 25,000 square foot building is set to begin this Fall and is anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2012.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd.
About Blount Partnership
The Blount Partnership is the key economic development agency for Blount County. It represents four advancement entities for the community: Blount Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Board of Blount County and the cities of Alcoa and Maryville, Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Chamber Foundation. The Partnership operates two facilities in Maryville and Townsend, Tenn., which are led by a CEO and supporting staff to accomplish all the programming needs for each agency’s board of directors. With 45 years of service, the Blount Partnership is used by the State of Tennessee as a benchmark for combining community resources and programming to support a shared economic development goal.
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Contact: Shannon Sumrall, ECD
Office: (615) 253-4897
E-mail: shannon.sumrall@tn.gov
Contact: Jeff Muir, Blount Partnership
Office: (865) 983-2241
E-mail: jmuir@blountpartnership.com