Governor Nathan Deal joined Georgia Department of Economic Development and Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development on January 21 to announce that Kaiser Permanente, an integrated provider of health care and coverage, will create 800 jobs in metro Atlanta – more than 600 of those in Gwinnett County - and invest $51 million in Gwinnett County.

“The health care industry is an economic driver in Georgia,” said Governor Nathan Deal. “Kaiser Permanente’s devotion to bettering the lives of citizens through innovative health care services makes the company a good fit for Georgia. The state looks forward to continuing this partnership with Kaiser Permanente as it further expands and produces a positive impact on Georgia’s economy.” 

The company will retrofit a facility to serve as a Member Service Contact Center, bringing the company’s total presence in Georgia to some 5,000 personnel. Situated on an 18-acre site in Duluth, the 185,000-square-foot office complex will have the capacity to hold up to 1,000 contact center workers. The facility will also be designed to meet requirements for LEED certification.  

In addition to hiring more than 600 new employees to handle calls related to insurance coverage and billing, Kaiser Permanente is relocating approximately 300 Georgia-based appointment schedulers and advice nurses to the new facility. The contact center, which will support Kaiser Permanente members across the country, is slated to open this fall.

“Kaiser Permanente has been caring for metro Atlanta residents for 30 years, and we are excited to be able to help this region’s economy thrive as well,” said Julie Miller-Phipps, president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. “By expanding our footprint in metro Atlanta, we are showing just how committed we are to bringing our unique model of care to this region.”

Last year, the health care organization announced plans to open a new IT facility in Midtown this spring, which is expected to create 900 jobs by 2019. Kaiser Permanente provides care and coverage to more than 10 million members across the country, including nearly 300,000 in Georgia. Existing contact centers are based in California, Colorado, Hawaii and Maryland.

“Kaiser Permanente’s decision to invest in Gwinnett speaks to the strength of our community and the economic vitality of this area,” said Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chair Charlotte Nash. “With access to a skilled workforce and significant infrastructure, companies like Kaiser are able to successfully grow and expand their business with confidence.”

“This announcement is yet another excellent example of how the many attributes of Gwinnett continue to draw companies to expand into our community,” said Andrew Carnes, Director of Economic Development. “Companies such as Kaiser Permanente recognize Gwinnett County as a prime location to better reach national markets and grow their business.”

Lindsay Martin, director of existing industry and regional recruitment at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), assisted Kaiser Permanente on behalf of Georgia in conjunction with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Partnership Gwinnett, Georgia Power and Jones Lang La Salle. 

“It is no surprise that Kaiser Permanente is choosing to open their new Member Service Contact Center here,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “Our abundant pool of talent and No. 1 business climate create an ideal location for a fast-growing company to increase quality service and remain competitive.” 

For more information, or to learn how to get involved in local economic development efforts, please visit www.gwinnetteconomicdevelopment.com.