Charlotte has been selected as the home of Centene Corporation’s new East Coast headquarters and technology hub, which will create more than 3,237 new jobs by 2032. Centene, a health care administration company that provides managed care solutions, will invest more than a billion dollars to develop a corporate campus in the University City neighborhood. St. Louis-based Centene is listed at 42 on the Fortune 500.
“Today’s announcement is a historic occasion for Charlotte and comes at a most opportune time,” said Mayor Vi Lyles. “We are excited to welcome Centene to the Queen City. Our entire region will benefit from the company’s community-driven mission and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
It’s the largest job creation project in the 18-year history of the Job Development Investment Grant program. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the 3,237 new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to nearly $388 million if it meets job-creation and investment goals. This potential payment would be spread over 39 years. Officials say the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $29.5 billion over the 39 years the grant could be active.
“Centene’s investment here is great for the Charlotte area and our whole state,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “Centene knows that North Carolina has a resilient economy, ready workforce, livable communities and a host of other assets that make our state a leading destination for forward-thinking businesses.”
“We chose Charlotte as the home to our East Coast headquarters because we believe it will enable us to continue our strong growth and our mission to serve the most vulnerable populations,” said Michael F. Neidorff, Chairman, President and CEO of Centene. “We look forward to our future in Charlotte and intend to be a strong part of the community, as we are in all of the places where we have business operations.” Neidorff said the goal is to create 6,000 jobs on the University City campus in the coming years.
Some of the available jobs will be in technology, operations, customer service, finance, human resources, medical management and other corporate positions with an average annual salary of just over $100,000. More than 1,000 of the new positions are operations roles with a $63,000 average salary.
We are excited to welcome Centene to Mecklenburg County," said George Dunlap, Chairman of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. "Their decision to locate their new expansion and regional headquarters in Mecklenburg County is a testament to the strength and continued advancement of our economy as well as the talent and skills of our workforce.”
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