By Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) November 3, 2021 12:02 PM 1,321 views  

On Wednesday (November 3), business and civic leaders in Northwest Arkansas helped Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield celebrate the official opening of their new 81,000 square foot Northwest Arkansas Corporate Center in Springdale.

The official ribbon-cutting speakers include:

"This is an important milestone for us in northwest Arkansas, and it can be traced back to the mid-1960s," Barnett said at a press conference. "This part of our state has grown tremendously over the past 55 years, and we are investing heavily in its future to help ensure that it remains a vibrant, growing, and healthy community."

USable Corp., located in Little Rock, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Arkansas, purchased the 8.81 acres of land for US$3.8 million in November 2019. In the same month, USable assembled four adjacent plots with a total area of ​​3.46 acres at a price of 1.4 million US dollars.

Colliers International, located in Rogers, bought the land on behalf of the company and is now the property manager of the building.

In February 2020, USable selected Nabholz Corp. as the general contractor for the four-story building and obtained an initial construction permit worth US$11.37 million. Crafton Tull was selected as the engineering/construction company for the project. Other subcontractors include Conway’s Nabco Mechanical & Electrical Contractors Inc. (piping, HVAC and electrical), Benton’s All Steel Construction (structural steel manufacturing and installation), Fayetteville’s TCM Enterprises Inc. (gypsum board) And frame) and Florida's Red Hawk Fire and Safety.

Employees at the Blue Cross in Arkansas began working in the building in mid-September. Barnett said the facility can accommodate 300 people.

"We are proud of the increasing number of employees and the more presence this building - and our two ArkansasBlue retail welcome centers in Fayetteville and Rogers - brings," Barnett said. "This will allow us to have a greater impact and do more."

Blue Cross, Arkansas' largest health insurance company in Little Rock, opened a regional sales office in Fayetteville in 1966. In 1996, the company opened a full-service regional office on Millsap Road in Fayetteville, serving northwest Arkansas. The company also has ArkansasBlue retail stores in Fayetteville and Rogers.

Blue Cross Arkansas has a large customer base in northwestern Arkansas, including individual and group policyholders in the state and national accounts. Arkansas Blue Cross is headquartered in Little Rock and operates regional offices and ArkansasBlue retail stores in Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Texarkana.

The architectural design incorporates company workplace best practices observed by the company and project architects in other facilities.

Some of the advanced features of the building include:

Some of the environmental protection features of the building include:

Barnett said the building represents the company's growing commitment in northwest Arkansas.

"But the Arkansas Blue Cross's promise is not just about how we can do more in the area," he said. "This is also about how we can do better. We recognize that healthcare faces many challenges, and today's solutions cannot solve tomorrow's problems. The healthcare sector urgently needs innovation: innovation in medical services, technology, and business models.

"No place is more innovative or more successful than Northwest Arkansas. The region has pledged to innovate and develop into a major medical, health and wellness corridor, and we are excited to play an integral part in this development. effect."

Martine Pollard is an executive of the company in northwest Arkansas. Pollard was previously a key member of the Mercy Northwest Arkansas executive team, and began serving as Vice President of Northwest Arkansas Markets for Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Arkansas on October 25.

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