WEDNESDAY August 15, 2018
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
ChenMed opens in Jacksonville, sees opportunity for growth
American Outdoor closing warehouse
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Work at Philips Highway facility moving to Missouri.
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
BY MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Photos by Drew Dixon
From left, Jacksonville City Council candidate Keshan Gainey-Chambliss, her son, Elijah, ChenMed CEO Christopher Chen, state Rep. Kimberly Daniels and council member Reggie Gaffney tour the ChenMed Dedicated Senior Medical Center on Thursday.
CEO of health care provider says company’s goal is to open as many as 10 centers in area. BY DREW DIXON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The first of three ChenMed Dedicated Senior Medical Centers in Jacksonville opened Thursday, generating fanfare in an economically challenged area of the city. Hundreds turned out for the grand opening at 3059 Edgewood Ave. W. in northwest Jacksonville. The 10,000-square-foot medical clinic opened in a building that previously housed a liquor store and a clothing store. The grand opening drew community leaders and elected offi-
cials. Keshan Gainey-Chambliss, who is running for the District 10 City Council seat, said the Edgewood area lacked facilities for seniors and ChenMed is filling a need. “It’s very important for our seniors,” she said. ChenMed, with more than 40 medical centers in 14 cities in seven states, is expanding with plans to have 53 clinics operational by the end of the month. The second Jacksonville SEE CHENMED, PAGE 2
ChenMed Dedicated Senior Medical Center opened Thursday at 3059 Edgewood Ave. W. in northwest Jacksonville.
Two years after acquiring a Jacksonville-based outdoor gear company, American Outdoor Brands Corp. is closing its 100,625-square-foot facility at 7720 Philips Highway. American Outdoor, formerly known as Smith & Wesson, bought Ultimate Survival Technologies for $32.3 million in 2016 as part of a strategy of expanding its business beyond the iconic firearms brand. The company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday that it will close the former UST facility in Jacksonville and integrate its operations into its other warehouse for its outdoor gear business in Missouri. UST was an 80-year-old family-owned company that produced survival and camping equipment before the buyout. Springfield, Massachusettsbased American Outdoor leases the facility, which was acquired by a California investor in December 2017 for $5.075 million, according to Duval County records. The SEC filing did not indicate how many employees will be affected by the closure. An American Outdoor spokeswoman did not respond to phone and email messages Tuesday. The filing said American Outdoor will incur $1.5 million to $2.5 million in restructuring charges related to the closure. It expects to see annual cost savings from the move in fiscal 2020, which begins May 1, 2019.
MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Active shooter training course An active shooter training course sponsored by the JAX Chamber and Black Knight is being offered to chamber members and the public. The class will be taught by Michael Skoglund, vice president and director of the Physical Security Office at Black Knight, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division Chief Nick Burgos. It will be 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Black Knight offices at 601 Riverside Ave. Cost is $5 for members, $15 for nonmembers.
VOLUME 105, NO. 191 • ONE SECTION