News Archives: Loretta Coates: Creating a Network of Success
Wednesday, November 15th, 2017
Growing up in Beaverlodge, Loretta Coates always had an interest in numbers, whether it was watching her mother do the books for her parent's company, or handling the books and finances for the ice cream van they operated.
At the end of her high-school senior year, Coates had knee surgery and thought she had to give up playing basketball. She applied to the University of Alberta, but thanks to GPRC Athletic Director, Francois Fournier encouraging her to try out for the Wolves, Coates decided to attend GPRC’s Commerce program instead.
“For me as an individual, I feel staying in Grande Prairie had a huge benefit to me,” said Coates. “The better your network the more successful you can be. Going to GPRC was huge because I met a ton of other people that I work with now. And as you progress in your career, they’ll move along in their careers as well.”
Kim Gravengard is one of Coates’s lasting connections. Gravengard is a GPRC alumna who coached Coates when she was young, and again in college, and now works with her. “I’ve been able to stay in touch with her almost my whole life because she’s been involved in the program,” said Coates.
Coates advocates for getting involved and building networks in multiple ways, in both the academics and athletics sides that the college has to offer. “Get involved as much as you can, because you might not see huge benefits today, but when you look back in ten years, you will see them.”
When she graduated from GPRC, Coates started working at MNP LLP as an articling student. She got her designation in 2008, became a manager in 2009, a senior manager in 2012, and a partner in 2014.
“When I started at MNP I didn’t realize how fulfilling the career would be. I thought it would just be a lot of numbers,” said Coates. “You’re constantly meeting with people and coming up with solutions to their problems. You become very involved in their lives – that part I really like.”
In regards to her future, Coates said, “I still feel like I’m giving back to my clients, and I have a lot to offer, at some point in time if I didn’t feel that way, I think that’s when I’d have to look at making a change. But for now I still feel like I can offer a lot to my clients and the people here in Grande Prairie.”
“I’ve been blessed because a lot of people aren’t this far into their career at this time,” said Coates. She is honoured to be chosen for the CPA Alberta’s Early Achievement Award for her success both at work and in the community but credits the people in her life for leading her to be so successful.
Coates’ success started with her parents who instilled in her the importance of giving back. A number of successful women in Coates’s life continued helping her to succeed, either directly or through their example.
Coates also credits Kim Gravengard, Kim Driever, Bridget Hennigar, and Linda Side for being some of her role models in their work and community involvement.
“When you’re surrounded by really successful people it’s easy to mimic what they’re doing because you get submerged in it. That, for sure, has played a big role in part of why I was so successful,” said Coates.