METLIFE CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF ITS NEW U.S. RETAIL HEADQUARTERS IN CHARLOTTE

METLIFE CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF ITS NEW U.S. RETAIL HEADQUARTERS IN CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTE, NC, March 27, 2014

Today, MetLife officially celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. Retail headquarters, located in the Ballantyne community of Charlotte. The new headquarters brings the majority of MetLife’s U.S. Retail employees together in one location, with buildings designed to support a vision for a new, collaborative culture, encouraging efficiency and effectiveness.

MetLife continues to hire and train employees, with a goal of bringing approximately 1,300 new jobs to Charlotte by 2015. To date, the company has filled more than 900 positions, including more than 700 local hires.

“We ultimately chose Charlotte for its great talent, strong partners, and vibrant community,” said Eric Steigerwalt, executive vice president, U.S. Retail, MetLife. “With partners ranging from Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker, to the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, to Smoky Bissell and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, it’s easy to see why so many companies are eager to do business in Charlotte.”

A year ago, MetLife committed to creating more than 2,600 jobs in North Carolina. Establishing its U.S. Retail headquarters in Charlotte and Global Technology & Operations campus in Cary represents a $125.5 million investment in the state of North Carolina by MetLife. The U.S. Retail headquarters are located in the Gragg and Woodward buildings of Ballantyne Corporate Park, at 11225 North Community House Road.

Speaking at the grand opening stage ceremony today were elected officials and local dignitaries, including North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.

“MetLife is an excellent partner and we are thankful they have chosen Charlotte for their new U.S. Retail headquarters,” said Governor McCrory. “North Carolina’s workforce, quality of life, and first-rate education opportunities make it possible for top companies like MetLife to grow and prosper in one of the most dynamic regions in the United States.”
 

The New, Permanent MetLife U.S. Retail Facilities

The Gragg and Woodward buildings within Ballantyne Corporate Park offer a state-of-the art employee experience. Details of the facilities, and facts regarding construction, include:
 

• The Charlotte campus boasts 88 conference rooms, 9 training rooms, 7 nursing rooms, 4 wellness rooms, 1 telepresence room, 1 coffee bar, and 1 full-service cafeteria.
• The buildings feature open-seating floors to foster employee interaction and spaces designed to accommodate a variety of work styles, including single-person focus rooms, small conference rooms, and formal and informal meeting rooms.
• MetLife Clubs, located on each floor, expand the idea of a workplace pantry by incorporating a variety of collaboration areas within the space for individual and group use.
• Featured throughout the headquarters are a series of digital print works by Tom Everhart, the only fine artist authorized by Charles Schulz to use subject matter from the Peanuts comics to create such art.
• A quarter of all materials and finishes used throughout the offices were manufactured within 500 miles of Charlotte to support the regional economy and reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.
• MetLife is targeting LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors which would make the Charlotte headquarters only the 8th project to achieve this prestigious certification in North Carolina.