Denison -- As Team Denison huddled with other members of the Grayson County community for the fourth big announcement by the City of Denison in recent weeks -- the decision by Cigna to add another 100 employees --  Denison Mayor Jared Johnson took a moment to look back on just how different this site, now proudly referred to as the "Gateway" to Denison, appeared a few short years ago.

"As we gather to celebrate success, I want to reflect on what this looked like in 2006," said Mayor Johnson. "It was a patch of woods; that was our gateway to Denison."

Denison Mayor Jared Johnson

Much has changed and it all began with developer Tom Johnson's decision to donate 15 acres at the intersection of U.S. 75 and Hwy. 691.  Thursday's meeting was held in the spacious main lobby of Cigna's 140,000 square foot building located on the land Johnson donated six years ago.

In 2006, Cigna was searching between McKinney and Durant for a high-visibility site that was large enough to allow the global health service company to consolidate regional operations. The City of Denison spent $900,000 for infrastructure and then put together a $1.2 million jobs incentive package. The company also received a five-year 100% ad velorem tax abatement for the building and personal property. In turn, Cigna has increased from 750 employees to 1,100 employees and the company now has an annual payroll of $35 million that is reinvested back into the community. 

"It's amazing what happened at this corner and what is happening in Grayson County," remarked Grayson County Judge Drue Bynum.

Grayson County Judge Drue Bynum

In addition to a partnership between Denison, Sherman and Grayson County that resulted in Cigna choosing this location, the company's employees have also played an important role the success of this venture.

According to Lamonte Thomas, Cigna's president and general manager for Texas and Oklahoma, this prime location on U.S. 75 was certainly attractive to the company and the passion of the workforce has proved to be an added bonus.

Like all successful, competitive companies, Cigna carefully analyzes productivity at all locations.

"Denison continues to be at the top of that list," stated Thomas.

Lamonte Thomas, Cigna's president and general manager for Texas and Oklahoma