State Farm’s Monroe Center to Close After All

Despite the new governor’s efforts, State Farm Insurance will apparently go ahead with plans to close its operations center in Monroe, La. According to Associated Press reports, the company will close the facility by the end of the summer of 2005.

Newly sworn in Governor Kathleen Blanco tried to persuade State Farm to keep its operation center in the state with the offer of a $33 million dollar, 10-year incentive plan. The facility, together with an affiliated claims office, have 1,100 employees and an annual payroll of $50 million.

State Farm has been reviewing its operations centers in Monroe, Columbia, Mo., and Tulsa, Okla. Some employees of the Monroe center will reportedly be offered transfers to Columbia and Tulsa. State Farm is not expected to pull out of Monroe completely, but will maintain a smaller office there.