Growth in medical, health fields yields more jobs for Pearland

Cardiovascular Systems Inc. opened a manufacturing facility in west Pearland in 2010. Officials say it is expected to create approximately 250 jobs within ten years.

Posted: Tuesday, December 6, 2011 10:01 am | Updated: 2:41 pm, Tue Dec 6, 2011.

Given Pearland’s close proximity to the Houston medical community, the growth of Houston’s health care and medical sector jobs is a trend that is slowly changing the face of the city’s employment landscape.

Officials estimate 4,936 Pearland residents are employed by the Texas Medical Center. According to the Texas Workforce Commission’s 2010 report, the city’s workforce is numbered at approximately 45,638, which means roughly one in ten Pearland residents are TMC employees.

In addition, in the last two years a number of medical and life science businesses decided to put down roots in west Pearland. And with each new business, the city stands to gain new job opportunities both now and in the future.

“We’re starting to see the idea for Kirby Drive to become a center for life science and medical companies. We’ve already had an inquiry from another medical device manufacturing company,” Pearland Economic Development Corporation Director Matt Buchanan said recently.

“You try to create a synergy and a cluster of economies. So, in the medical device area, the primary care side and now with Kelsey Seybold’s decision to move their headquarters here, Pearland has started to develop a strong corporate story.”

The Pearland Economic Development Corporation has worked to put the city on the map as a hub for medical and life sciences businesses. After negotiations with city officials and the PEDC, Cardiovascular Systems Inc. took advantage of a generous incentive package to set up a manufacturing facility in west Pearland. The medical device company’s Pearland location opened in 2010 and is expected to create approximately 250 jobs within ten years.
Merit Medical System was next when it announced plans to relocate their Angleton operations to a 12-acre site on Kirby Dr. near the CSI facility. The medical device company will soon begin construction on an 118,000 square-foot facility with room for 220 employees.

Most recently, Kelsey Seybold disclosed plans to build a 170,000 square-foot office building at the corner of Kirby Dr. and Shadow Creek Parkway and move their corporate headquarters to Pearland.

“It is a very exciting project and we’re very thankful that Kelsey Seybold picked our community,” Buchanan said. “Their business is skyrocketing right now. I think we couldn’t have picked a better medical group within all of Houston to move their corporate headquarters here.”

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