Naples loses corporate HQ

The first tangible evidence from the loss of Health Management Associates' headquarters in Naples was posted on a state government website.

A posting on the state's layoff notices on Jan. 28 says HMA plans to lay off 395 people. That's just one day after Tennessee-based Community Health Systems announced it had completed the acquisition of HMA and its 71 hospitals for $7.6 billion.

It's no surprise, really. There's no reason to duplicate Community Health's back-office and corporate headquarters jobs in Naples.

But more than the jobs, locally based companies such as HMA often spend heavily on community projects in their hometowns. Top corporate executives endow cultural programs, contribute to charitable organizations and help attract other corporate headquarters to the region because they live here.

Still, Naples isn't a one-company town. It's home to several corporations such as Arthrex, Beasley Broadcast Group and First National Bank of the Gulf Coast. And until its new corporate headquarters in Estero is completed, Hertz temporarily is based in Naples.