PR - Centene Moves to St. Louis, Names Joseph to Board

Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today announced that Pamela A. Joseph, Vice Chairman of U.S. Bancorp, was elected to the Company’s Board of Directors as a Class III Director with a term expiring in 2010. For more than 25 years, Ms. Joseph has held increasingly senior leadership roles in the banking industry with corporations such as U.S. Bancorp, Visa International and Wells Fargo Bank.

Centene Corporation operates health plans in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, providing programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Centene also  contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, health management, long-term care, managed vision, nurse triage, pharmacy benefits management and treatment compliance.

Centene recently reported the selection of Downtown St. Louis City as the location of its new corporate headquarters, Centene Centre. Centene and its development partners formed BW Development Group to construct the new facility. BW Development Group and the developers of Ballpark Village reached an agreement in principle that would allow construction to begin on the approximately $250 million complex in the spring of 2008. Centene expects to bring 1,200 jobs to Downtown in the next three to five years.

Centene plans to maintain a significant and important presence in its two current buildings in Clayton, Mo. The company has received ongoing support from Clayton Mayor Linda Goldstein, the Clayton Board of Aldermen and other civic leaders.  

"Centene will be the largest employer to move its headquarters into the City in decades-maybe as long as 50 years," said Mayor Francis Slay. "We will look back on this move as a tipping point for Downtown. This announcement is significant for three reasons. First, we are keeping a major corporate headquarters in St. Louis and in Missouri. Second, this will bring 1,200 jobs to the City and help us create the density we need to make Downtown great. Third, just announcing this deal will increase our momentum and open some eyes as we continue to revitalize Downtown."