Mayor Bill Haslam joined with Clayton Homes CEO Kevin Clayton and Richard Ray, chief financial officer for 21st Mortgage Co., on Tuesday to announce the addition of more than 200 jobs to the Knoxville area.

The companies' expansion is the result of the acquisition of Chase Home Finance's $4 billion manufactured housing loan portfolio by Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance Inc., a Clayton Homes subsidiary.

The portfolio will be serviced by 21st Mortgage, which will add between 125 to 150 jobs at its downtown Knoxville headquarters, and Vanderbilt, which will add 75 jobs at Clayton Homes' home office in Blount County.

The companies are now seeking college-educated individuals for those positions, which include both entry level and experienced staff. "This is an important development for downtown Knoxville and the region as a whole," said Mayor Haslam. "The addition of significant new jobs at 21st Mortgage contributes to the revitalization of downtown, and Clayton Homes' growth continues to raise Knoxville's profile as a great place for a national company to do business."