Posted by Heidi Schwartz
Executives from American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH), a health services company, have announced the company’s plans to move its corporate headquarters from San Diego, CA to Carmel, IN, creating up to 675 new jobs by 2016.
“By lowering taxes, increasing our infrastructure, training our workforce and limiting burdensome regulations, Indiana has proven it can create an environment where businesses can thrive and our economy can grow. I thank ASH for its confidence in Indiana and for creating more jobs for talented Hoosiers,” said Gov. Mike Pence.
Launched in California more than 25 years ago, ASH provides specialty health care management, population health and fitness and exercise programs for health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups and trust funds. The company plans to invest $10 million and anticipates a June 2014 grand opening of its Carmel office.
“We have selected Carmel as the site of our national corporate headquarters for a variety of reasons,” said George DeVries, co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of ASH. “First, ASH has grown from a California company into a national company, and Carmel provides a central location with proximity to our clients across the nation. Additionally, the state of Indiana has a strong business climate and the cost of doing business is lower. Also, the city of Carmel offers an affordable, family-oriented place for our employees to live and work, with a lower cost of housing and lower overall cost of living.”
The relocation of ASH’s headquarters is part of the firm’s five-year strategic plan to establish operations and redundancy offices in three distinct geographic regions. The company opened a Southlake, TX office in July 2012 and also opened a health technology innovation center with the University of South Carolina’s Innovista incubator in Columbia, SC. ASH will maintain its office in San Diego.
ASH, which currently employs more than 1,000 associates nationwide, will begin hiring operations, call center, customer service and other positions in Carmel later this year.
“We are pleased to welcome ASH’s corporate headquarters to the Carmel community,” said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard. “Indiana has created an attractive business climate and Carmel also has worked hard to build a vibrant city where business can thrive and that appeals to a well-educated professional workforce. We have focused on providing a high quality of life with safe neighborhoods, quality schools, unique retail areas and arts and cultural amenities.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered American Specialty Health Incorporated up to $11,500,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $250,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The city of Carmel supports the project.
