HealthSouth rebrands as Encompass, looks forward to new building

Drivers on Interstate 459 may see an unfamiliar sign as they round the curve by Birmingham’s Statue of Liberty, as “Encompass Health” now graces the side of Liberty Park's newest multi-story building.

This month, HealthSouth Corporation officially changed its name to Encompass Health Corporation, and on Wednesday held a “soft opening” for the company’s new image and new headquarters in Liberty Park. The reception Wednesday also served as the dedication ceremony of Jay Grinney Hall in the new home office. Grinney retired in 2016 after serving as president and CEO for several years during the company’s difficult few years in the mid 2000s.

“The decision to rebrand as Encompass Health Corporation is the result of a yearlong, research-intensive process that helped us understand how our brand could better reflect and support our business strategy,” said CEO Mark Tarr in a press release prior to the event.

The company’s rebranding effort was announced last summer, and Encompass launched in the New York Stock Exchange as “EHC” on Jan. 2.

Tarr said he and others from Encompass traveled to New York to ring the closing bell on Tuesday, Feb. 6, enjoying the extra attention a tumultuous week in the market brought.

At the reception, Tarr said that the transition to the Encompass name fits well with the transition to the new headquarters that will open later this spring.

“For us, it’s in some ways closing the chapter on something in the past, but we’re really all about the future. And we have a very bright future, and a lot of opportunities to grow as a company, and to continue to be a good neighbor to Birmingham,” Tarr said.

As far as the transition to the new name and new headquarters, Tarr said he thinks employees are energized and excited.

“I couldn’t be more confident that it’s going to be a very smooth transition,” he said.

Encompass officials expect Birmingham employees to move into the Liberty Park building around the first of April, around the same time that the Encompass name begins to be assumed by the company’s variety of locations throughout the country.