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���ϳԹ���, a leading national general contractor with regional offices based in Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA, announces the addition of two executives to its local healthcare team in response to the striking increase in demand for construction and renovation of medical facilities. Carly Morris is Senior Project Manager and Healthcare Market Lead, in Charlotte, and Rashad Morton is now Project Executive in Atlanta, adding nearly four decades of expertise to the firm’s construction teams. Collectively, these industry experts have been involved in more than $1 billion of healthcare builds, impacting communities and changing the landscape of healthcare.

“At ���ϳԹ���, we have a passion for building spaces that have the power to heal people,” says Chris Morris, Director of National Healthcare. “In their new roles, Carly and Rashad will be pivotal in delivering world-class medical facilities to the communities we serve. As leaders, they build for one purpose – the patient.”

Based on the FMI analytics, ���ϳԹ��� expects healthcare construction spending to top $3 billion in Atlanta and Charlotte (($2.2 billion) and $1 billion respectively) from 2024 to 2026. FMI also indicates that within the next few years, the growth in healthcare construction spending in Atlanta will spike eight percent, accounting for nine percent of total construction spending in the city. Charlotte is expected to see five percent, accounting for seven percent of spending in the city.

Further, governments are modifying Certificate of Need (CON) laws that previously hindered the delivery of medical facilities. In South Carolina, CON documentation is now only required for nursing homes and the Medical University of South Carolina, while North Carolina eliminated the CON requirement for certain medical equipment, psychiatric facilities, and chemical dependency treatment facilities. “These revisions will allow ���ϳԹ��� to deliver mental health facilities on an accelerated timeline and meet the growing need for behavioral health beds,” explains Kevin Smith, Division Manager for ���ϳԹ���’s Carolinas division.

Carly Morris joins the Charlotte office as Senior Project Manager and Healthcare Market Lead, where she oversees every aspect of a healthcare project from client relations and preconstruction through project close-out and facility occupancy. Morris leads a team of construction professionals to deliver top quality finished products for a variety of healthcare clients. During her decade-long career, Morris has been involved with constructing, renovating, and expanding nearly 1.2 million square feet of healthcare and medical builds. She has been involved in nearly $200 million of projects for Atrium Health as well as the construction of the six-story, 492,000-square-foot Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center in Charlotte. Prior to ���ϳԹ���, she served in various roles with Rodgers Builders and JE Dunn Construction.

“Morris is passionate about healthcare construction,” explains Smith. “This Charlotte native approaches each project knowing she is building a space that heals people and betters the community. She strives to understand the needs and wants of the client and the needs fulfilled by the project. Her expertise and enthusiasm are important as ���ϳԹ��� brings the latest innovations in healthcare facilities to the Southeast.”

As Project Executive, Rashad Morton is tasked with gaining market share in healthcare by forging new relationships within the industry, generating brand awareness and winning work for ���ϳԹ���’s Atlanta division. Morton joined ���ϳԹ��� in 2017 as Senior Project Manager in Los Angeles, CA, and has relocated to Atlanta. Prior to ���ϳԹ���, he served in various roles during a 13-year tenure at McCarthy Building Companies, beginning as project engineer and rising through the ranks to senior project manager. Morton has been involved with approximately one million square feet of healthcare-related construction, including hospitals, medical offices and medical centers for national healthcare systems.

“Rashad is really known for his consistency and systematic approach to any project – but he also knows when to be flexible and creative,” explains Derek Mosiman, Vice President and Division Manager for ���ϳԹ���’s Atlanta division. “He is also quite adept at determining when to implement skill and tried-and-true methods and when to utilize a more improvisational approach to tackle challenges.” At a construction site in South Los Angeles, Morton provided career opportunities for local residents in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood, encouraging community engagement while building connections and a sense of pride in the neighborhood.

“With more than $5 billion in healthcare construction as part of our expertise, our teams are adept at navigating the opportunities and challenges that come with emerging new products and systems as well as evolving legislation that impacts medical structures,” adds Mosiman. Newly introduced prefabricated and modular systems are prepared offsite in a controlled environment, adding unprecedented quality control with less risk. Mass timber in a healthcare environment not only brings sustainability and biophilic benefits to the environment but has also been proven to meet the vibration criteria and acoustic requirements of medical facilities. “Patient experience is top priority, and, as such, we build with the patient in mind at every step of the process. The use of mass timber creates warm, inviting and serene environments that benefit staff and patients,” adds Mosiman. Recently, ���ϳԹ��� was awarded the design and construction of a mass timber medical office in the Southeast region, one of the first in the United States.

Chris Morris adds, “���ϳԹ��� also continues to monitor the concept of flexible patient rooms within a hospital ecosystem, advanced medical imaging and diagnostic technologies, as well as behavioral health facilities across the United States.”