CHARLOTTE, October 27, 2009 —  The Premier Inc. healthcare alliance today announced that it has signed a 262,500 square foot office lease for its new corporate headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. Premier also has offices in San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

 

In line with the relocation, Premier will add 300 new jobs in the area over the next five years.

 

Jones Lang LaSalle’s Blair Bryan, Jeff Harper and Eric Parris represented Premier Inc. in lease negotiations.

 

“We assisted Premier through an extensive process and were able to negotiate a highly competitive package and ideal location for the firm,” said Blair Bryan, Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle.  “This is clearly one of the largest real estate transactions for Charlotte and the Carolinas over the past couple of years and we are excited that Premier decided to relocate their headquarters to Charlotte.”

 

“Healthcare is an industry that is vital to our growing economy,” said Bob Morgan, president and CEO of the Charlotte Chamber. “We are pleased to welcome Premier’s corporate headquarters to Charlotte.”

 

Premier is an alliance of more than 2,200 U.S. not-for-profit hospitals and 63,000-plus other healthcare sites working to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Alliance member hospitals share evidence-based best practices and clinical data, as well as leverage hospital supply buying volume to improve healthcare quality while reducing associated costs. Premier and its members are directly involved in shaping healthcare legislation as a part of current reform proposals.

 

Premier predecessor SunHealth was established in Charlotte in 1969 by the North and South Carolina Hospital Associations with assistance from The Duke Endowment. The current Premier healthcare alliance was created in 1996. It currently employs more than 750 of its 1,200 employees in Charlotte, along with all of its major operations.

 

“Healthcare is large and growing as an economic force here in Charlotte,” said Michael C. Tarwater, chief executive officer of the Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte’s largest employer and a Premier alliance owner and member. “Premier is a key partner in this growth, and their presence here is a great feather in the cap of our entire region. Together, we are pioneering quality improvements in Charlotte that will lead to positive change for the people we serve, not only here but for those served by Premier alliance members across the country.”

 

According to Susan DeVore, Premier president and CEO, “Considering our existing presence and past history in the area, it is a natural fit for Premier to be headquartered in Charlotte. We’re excited and proud to be truly a Charlotte-based organization.”

 

After a 21-month evaluation of all existing and build-to-suit options in the greater Charlotte area that could meet space requirements, Premier decided to take a 15-year lease on space in the Boyle Building in the Ballantyne Corporate Park. Located in south Charlotte, Premier will occupy the entire building – 262,500 square feet – beginning February 2011.

 

Premier’s national, local influence

 

Owned exclusively by not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems nationwide, ranging from small, rural to large, inner-city facilities, Premier manages the nation’s largest clinical and operational comparative database. It is one of the country’s largest hospital group purchasing organizations with members utilizing Premier to purchase more than $33.5 billion annually in supplies, ranging from syringes to large-scale imaging equipment.

 

“What these quality and cost improvements mean are healthier communities through shorter stays in the hospital, fewer hospital readmissions and investments in state-of-the-art technologies and products,” DeVore said.

 

Approximately 90 North Carolina-based hospitals are members of the alliance, including Charlotte-area providers Carolinas HealthCare System and Gaston Memorial Hospital, part of CaroMont Health. Through the alliance, these North Carolina-based hospitals have saved more than $164 million since 2004 – savings that are reinvested to improve the health of communities.

 

In addition, 19 North Carolina-based hospitals have been awarded nearly $3 million for improving patient care while participating in a federally-funded quality performance program run by Premier and Medicare.

 

 

The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 63,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has offices in San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington. Follow Premier on Twitter.

 

 

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2008 global revenue of $2.7 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 60 countries from 750 locations worldwide, including 180 corporate offices.  The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.4 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse in real estate with more than $36 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our Web site, www.joneslanglasalle.com.

 

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