By Brian R. Hook
Express Scripts Inc. opened its new corporate headquarters on
the campus of the University of Missouri – St. Louis this summer,
becoming the first Fortune 500 company in the country to locate
its headquarters on a university campus.
The 315,000 square-foot development pairs one of the largest
pharmacy-benefit-management companies in North America with
the region’s largest public university.
“The partnership is unique,” says George Paz, chairman and CEO
of Express Scripts, which serves over 50 million patients. Clients
include managed-care organizations, insurance carriers, third
party administrators, and employers.
“We are the first Fortune 500 Company to be located on a university
campus. No one has ever done this before. And it is not just
relocation; we have many projects planned that will benefit
both parties and the communities nearby,” Paz says.
Collaboration is already underway. Five summer interns at Express
Scripts are from UMSL. Until now, Express Scripts did not have
a structured internship program.
“Through our internship program, students will get the chance
to learn on the job,” Paz says. “This makes them better prepared
for the business world.”
Future collaboration will include a class project for information-technology
students at UMSL. Students will work with the IT department
at Express Scripts on a real world problem. Paz says the solution
will then be implemented at Express Scripts.
“Students may have the opportunity to work on case studies,
participate in departmental projects and contribute to research
or IT projects. The goal is to integrate the student opportunities
to make them seamless with UMSL programs,” Paz says.
“Express Scripts is essentially growing talent in our back yard.
The chance to work with some of the best students in St. Louis
benefits the future of the company by giving us an advantage
in recruiting when those students are ready to graduate.”
Express Scripts is also working with UMSL to develop an “Intro
to Business” program tailored specifically for employees of
Express Scripts. The new program is expected to launch this
fall. “This will be focused toward our employees that need a
deeper understanding of the business side of pharmacy benefits,”
Paz says.
Being located on a university campus also benefits employees
who are thinking about getting advanced degrees. “Our employees
that want to return to school now have the perfect opportunity.
Many people do not return to school for a degree because it
can be inconvenient, but with UMSL next door, it becomes convenient,”
Paz says.
Express Scripts and UMSL are working on projects to strengthen
the community and each other, Paz says. “As projects evolve
and each side gains a deeper understanding of the other, we
anticipate that this collaboration will impact the entire area.”
The new headquarters, which houses 1,100 employees, has three
levels with three wings; including a lower level that features
a full service cafeteria with indoor and outdoor seating. The
building features a modular office system that can be changed
as needed. Workstations are set around the perimeter of the
building to take advantage of natural light. Outside, landscaping
is native to the area, promoting water efficiency.
From start to finish, the construction project took 19 months
to complete.
“The immediate impact was a drastic physical improvement of
the campus along Interstate 70, as well as a new entrance road.
The physical improvement—the Express Scripts building and landscaping—has
created a better public image of UMSL among the thousands of
highway travelers,” says Thomas George, chancellor of UMSL.
“I’ve found it interesting that people who’ve passed us for
years have commented that they now notice where the campus is
because of Express Scripts.”
George says there are a number of collaborative efforts underway
between various academic units at UMSL and Express Scripts.
“With Express Scripts now fully moved into the building, those
relationships are intensifying rapidly,” George says.
“A number of upper level executives from Express Scripts have
already spoken to UMSL classes,” George says. Other collaborations
include joint research projects and class projects between UMSL
and Express Scripts. “Our students are beginning to reap the
benefits of having front-line professionals sharing their experience,”
George says.
Express Scripts deciding to keep its headquarters in the St.
Louis region was the first and largest benefit of the collaborative
effort, George says. “Several states were offering Express Scripts
lucrative deals to leave St. Louis and Missouri. Losing an organization
of that magnitude would have rattled the region’s economy,”
George says.
“It’s a real credit to Gov. Matt Blunt and St. Louis County
Executive Charlie Dooley that they were able to forge incentives
to keep Express Scripts here. It’s also a testament to the commitment
of George Paz and his colleagues to St. Louis.”
