WEST MONROE, LA — CEO Brian Davis and President Everett Stagg of Coast Professional Inc. along with Governor John Bel Edwards announced the company will create 146 new direct jobs in an expansion of its West Monroe contact center. Operating in Ouachita Parish since 2007, Coast Professional will maintain its 9,000-square-foot office on Expo Circle while adding a new 8,200-square-foot facility on Downing Pines Road.
 
With the expansion, Coast Professional will make a $750,000 capital investment and retain 125 existing jobs. The new project will add 146 direct jobs with an average annual salary of more than $36,500, plus benefits. In addition, Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 85 new indirect jobs, for a total of 231 new jobs in Ouachita Parish and Northeast Louisiana.

“Coast has seen significant growth over the past year and is looking to add to our ever-growing team,” said Stagg, who also serves as co-chairman of the Shareholders Board at Coast Professional. “The new location is a milestone within our company’s history and is a culmination of many years of effort, planning and success. I want to thank the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, the Ouachita Workforce Development Board 81, the City of West Monroe, Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Workforce Commission and the Governor’s Office for their support in making this happen. As we enter a new chapter, we’re looking for candidates that have an enthusiasm to learn, bring their A-game every day, and who are looking to enhance their financial futures.”

To prepare for its growth, Coast Professional will be converting a former Sears Hometown store and renovating the interior space and parking area to accommodate the new workforce. The company specializes in outbound calls to resolve debt for federal customers.
 
“Coast Professional’s latest outbound contact center will bring immediate career opportunities to the people of West Monroe and surrounding areas,” Gov. Edwards said. “We’re proud to be assembling a team of state and regional workforce partners who will help Coast Professional meet its immediate hiring needs for this expansion, and we’ll be announcing more details about the hiring plans in the very near future.”
 
LED FastStart^® – the nation’s top-ranked state workforce program – will guide recruitment efforts for Coast Professional while the Louisiana Workforce Commission and the regional Workforce Development Board Area 81 will lead the training efforts.

“The Louisiana Workforce Commission is proud to partner with Coast Professional,” said Secretary Ava Dejoie. “This call center is a direct investment in Louisiana’s workforce, and the LWC prides itself on providing workforce development stimulation for job-seekers and employers through training initiatives, such as Registered Apprenticeship and the Incumbent Worker Training Program.”
 
“The Ouachita Workforce Development Board 81 is so pleased and overwhelmingly appreciative to be a part of Coast Professional’s expansion to our area,” said Doretha Bennett, the workforce board’s executive director. “We will continue our support for such an essential action and progress.”
 
The lead first came to North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), an Accredited Economic Development Organization, from the City of West Monroe. NLEP worked closely with partner organizations to offer strategic support and to develop a competitive incentive package that enabled Coast Professional to expand in West Monroe.

“The City of West Monroe is extremely pleased to support the expansion of Coast Professional, a longtime existing West Monroe company,” Mayor Staci Mitchell said. “The city worked with several partner organizations to offer a competitive incentive package that allowed this West Monroe business to expand locally instead of in another state. Our leadership has worked diligently to create a pro-business environment, conducive to economic development.”
 
“North Louisiana Economic Partnership congratulates Coast Professional on expanding its presence in West Monroe,” said NLEP President Scott Martinez. “NLEP worked with a team of state, regional, local and workforce partners to create an economic incentive package and workforce solutions that brought this economic development project to West Monroe.”
 
NLEP and the State of Louisiana began discussing a potential project with Coast Professional earlier this year. The company is expected to utilize Louisiana’s Enterprise Zone Program, which includes a tax credit of up to $3,500 for each net new job created.
 
Details on the hiring process for interested job candidates will be announced soon, with Coast Professional planning to move into its new facility and begin operations there before the end of the year.


About Coast Professional
Coast Professional Inc. is an accounts receivable management company, dedicated to the respectful and ethical collection of higher education and government debt. Coast provides professional collection services to over 200 campus-based colleges, universities and government clients. Coast is a five-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list for America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies provided by Inc. magazine and, in 2019, was recognized for the fourth time as one of the Best Places to Work in Collections by insideARM.com and Best Companies Group. Since 1976, Coast has worked closely with clients to increase recoveries by assisting consumers in resolving their financial obligations. Coast’s success is exemplified by exceptional recoveries, superior service and dedication to the highest levels of compliance. For more information, visit CoastProfessional.com.
 
About North Louisiana Economic Partnership

North Louisiana Economic Partnership, an Accredited Economic Development Organization, provides professional economic development services to the 14 parish region of North Louisiana, including lead generation and prospect management. The organization also represents the interests of North Louisiana with a unified voice and as a single point of contact. It acts as a catalyst, a convener, and a connector in the region to ensure that North Louisiana’s economic development potential is realized. Its vision is for North Louisiana to be a thriving region-a destination for high quality talent, innovative companies, and global investment