Companies Find Williamson County a Great Place to Grow Their Business
business, expansion, health care, healthways,
For a growing number of health-care companies, a move to Williamson County is just what the doctor ordered.
With its thriving economy, reliable workforce and accessible location, the region has attracted some of the top players in the medical community.
In 2006, Franklin welcomed Community Health Systems. Originally headquartered in Houston, the Cool Springs company is the largest publicly traded hospital company in the United States and a leading operator of general, acute-care hospitals in nonurban and midsize markets throughout the country.
The group owns and operates more than 120 hospitals in 28 states, and, in 2007, reported total revenue of $7 billion.
Today, the company’s 600 employees are headquartered in a modern, 175,000-square-foot office building off Interstate 65 in Cool Springs.
Debbie Landers, vice president and chief marketing officer for CHS, says quality of life and local economic development efforts were instrumental in the decision to build the company’s headquarters in Williamson County.
“Middle Tennessee is home to one of the largest health-care clusters in the country, with more than 300 health companies that operate on a regional, national or international basis,” Landers says.
“Three key elements of health-care management include expertise, access to capital and professional-services support, which have and continue to drive entrepreneurial growth in the industry here,” she adds.
In April 2008, Healthways became the latest addition to Franklin’s list of nationally recognized health-care companies.
Previously located in the Green Hills area of Nashville, the 27-year-old company works closely with employers, government and health-plan sponsors to provide individuals with proactive, custom health-care plans for each phase of life.
As one of the fastest-growing, publicly traded companies in the country, Healthways needed a new headquarters that could accommodate growth and be designed to foster an open, collaborative environment.
Administrators also were drawn to Franklin’s proximity to its workforce, existing care enhancement call center, hotels and conference space, as well as the area’s economic development incentives.
Today, 800 employees report to work at Healthways’ 275,000-square-foot Cool Springs office building, which CEO Ben Leedle says was designed as an open-work environment, allowing colleagues easy mobility and greater communication.
“Our work space will reflect our culture of health, collaboration, innovation and integration, and it will be a place where colleagues are comfortable and motivated to do their best work,” Leedle says.
Story by Melanie Hill
Photo by Brian McCord
