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Baxalta, Shire agree to merger
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Shareholders of Baxalta, Inc. and Shire PLC agreed Friday on a merger that is expected to be finalized on June 3.

After the closure of the transaction in June, the integration process between the two companies will begin, according to Geoffrey Mogilner, Senior Director of Global External Communications for Baxalta.

Mogilner said Shire remains committed to building the factory currently under construction in Stanton Springs.

“Shire remains committed to our plans to complete the construction of our state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Covington and to have the facility commercially operational in 2018,” Mogilner said.
Shire and Baxalta outlined a merger agreement on Jan. 11. The proposed $32 billion merger was voted on by shareholders Friday.

“The combination will allow us to realize our goal of building the leading global biotechnology company focused on rare diseases and other highly specialized conditions, offering greater opportunities for our patients, healthcare partners, employees, and the communities we live in and serve,” Mogilner said.

The combined company would be one of the world's top 20 drug makers by revenue and a leader in the niche of rare disease medicines.

In a conference call conducted in January, representatives from Shire and Baxalta said the combined company will draw 65 percent of total revenue from rare disease treatments. They expect about $13 billion in sales from that category, and a total exceeding $20 billion annually, by 2020.

Shire said it will give Baxalta shareholders $18 in cash and a portion of a Shire share for each Baxalta share.

Baxalta spun off last July from Deerfield, Illinois-based drugmaker Baxter International Inc.

Shire promptly made an initial run at Bannockburn, Illinois-based Baxalta, which then rejected that $30 billion all-stock bid as too low.

Information from the Associated Press is included in this article.

Local senior living community Benton House receives multiple National Customer Satisfaction Awards
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COVINGTON, Ga. — Benton House Senior Living announced Feb. 25 that it has received multiple Customer Experience Awards from Pinnacle Quality Insight. This recognizes Benton House as having outstanding performance in personal care, communication, activities, move-in process, individual needs, and it solidifies their position in the top echelon of care providers nationwide.

Sharon White, executive director of Benton House Senior Living, said that receiving the honor is validation of their mission. 

“We’re so proud to receive these awards,” White said. “It is especially meaningful because it is based on responses from our residents and families. When you combine this award with our Great Place to Work status it tells us we have a very special community.” 

“We’re excited to congratulate Benton House for their well-deserved achievement on earning the Customer Experience Award,” says Bud Meadows, Home Care Pulse (HCP)’s CEO.   “It’s wonderful to see the hard work that Benton House is putting in to provide high quality care—their effort isn’t going unnoticed. This award allows them to provide proof of quality to potential and new clients and caregivers.” 

Qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award signifies that Benton House has consistently ranked within the top 15% of care providers across the nation over the past 12 months. This achievement underscores the business’s commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to residents and their families.

Throughout 2024, Benton House engaged residents and their families in monthly telephone interviews. These conversations included open-ended questions and ratings across various categories. Benton House used this feedback to drive continuous improvement in their care.

Benton House is a senior living community offering assisted living and memory care. To find out more about them, please call 770-788-6660 or visit www.bentonhouse.com.