ELMWOOD, LA – The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO), in conjunction with Louisiana Economic Development and Greater New Orleans, Inc., welcomes Select Comfort Corporation to Jefferson Parish. The $1 billion publicly traded company will establish its new technical support contact center in Elmwood, creating 225 full-time jobs in the region. Employees will provide sales and support services for customers of the company's Sleep Number® beds and accessory products.
Select Comfort, which develops, manufactures, markets and supports Sleep Number® adjustable-firmness beds and sleep-related accessory products in the U.S., will offer an annual starting salary of $30,000, plus benefits. The company is currently hiring for the new center.
Interested applicants can find job opening information here
Select Comfort's entrance into Jefferson Parish marks the completion of a competitive, multi-state selection process, JEDCO reps said. The company located in Jefferson Parish for a variety of reasons, including the area's skilled workforce, amenities and the availability of a building suitable for its needs. Select Comfort will occupy more than 28,000 feet of office space, backfilling an area previously occupied by Stewart Enterprises.
"At Sleep Number, delivering a strong customer experience is top priority," said Select Comfort's Melissa Barra, senior vice president and chief strategy and customer relationship officer. "To accommodate our growth, we are opening a new support center in Jefferson Parish. Together with our existing center in Minneapolis, the Jefferson Parish office will support our customers' sales and service needs on the phone and via live chat. When fully staffed, we will employ approximately 225 new team members. We appreciate the partnership with LED and JEDCO and look forward to bringing this new facility online."
JEDCO played an important role in the attraction of Select Comfort and Sleep Number to Jefferson Parish, reps said. The organization arranged site visits, connected the Sleep Number team with other service centers in the Parish for industry insight, and offered to support job fairs and hiring activities. With help from the parish, JEDCO offered to assist with the relocation of furnishings into the new office. In addition to that, LED offered Sleep Number a competitive incentive package and access to the comprehensive solutions of LED FastStart®, the nation's number one state workforce training program.
"JEDCO is excited to welcome another national brand to our parish," said JEDCO President Jerry Bologna. "Jefferson's proven ability to deliver a stable, quality workforce was a key element in Select Comfort's decision-making process and we look forward to adhering to their aggressive hiring plan. Additionally, we look forward to creating a long-term relationship that will capture the company's future growth in our area."
"Along with the entire Parish Council, I am thrilled to welcome Select Comfort and Sleep Number to Jefferson Parish," said Parish President Mike Yenni. "After an intensive site selection process, the notable brand chose our community because of Jefferson's robust business climate and many assets, including the location in our thriving Elmwood corridor. We look forward to supporting Select Comfort as they create quality job opportunities for our residents."
"GNO, Inc. is thrilled to welcome an outstanding publicly-traded company to the Greater New Orleans market," said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. "Business and government leaders from around the region and state worked in partnership to demonstrate to Select Comfort the unbeatable business case of Louisiana. Our combination of competitive costs and superior workforce will ensure great success for Select Comfort in Jefferson for years to come."
Founded in 1987, Select Comfort is headquartered in Minneapolis and operates manufacturing facilities in South Carolina and Utah. The company employs 3,800 people and operates 550 company-owned Sleep Number retail stores. Its annual revenue in 2016 exceeded $1.3 billion.
The new center will include support for SleepIQ® technology. Integrated into Sleep Number beds, SleepIQ tracks a person's sleep to offer insights and make suggestions for better quality sleep. Sleep Number bed models will be featured in the Jefferson Parish-based center as personnel assist customers with product and service inquiries. Employees will also sell Sleep Number products via online chat.
"Select Comfort is an impressive, fast-growing company that is the innovation leader in the mattress industry," Governor John Bel Edwards said. "With our talented workforce and healthy business climate, Louisiana is a great fit for innovative consumer brands. We welcome Select Comfort's support center to our business community."
Select Comfort plans to open its doors in August 2017 with the goal to hire 50 new employees before the company begins operations. The Sleep Number service center will be located at 1333 South Clearview Parkway in Elmwood.
