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Derek Coats Joins KBS Group

Derek Coats has joined KBS Group as Principal and Director of Missouri Operations.

The Kit Bond Strategies Group (KBS) has just announced that Derek Coats has joined the firm as Principal and Director of Missouri Operations. 

“I’m excited to join the talented professionals at KBS and lean on my years of experience and contacts to serve our clients. I’m looking forward to getting started,” said Derek Coats.

Coats of course is very experienced when it comes to Missouri politics. He graduated from Missouri Western State with a degree in Political Science. 

From 2001-2011, Coats served as the District Office Director for former Senator Kit Bond. He then joined Senator Roy Blunt’s office as Deputy Chief of Staff from 2011-2023. Coats then exited the United States Senate to join Governor Mike Kehoe’s campaign team. There he served as the Campaign Manager and helped lead the campaign to victory.  

Coats will be leading KBS’s Governmental Affairs team here in Jefferson City. 

“I’ve had the privilege to work closely with Derek Coats for the last 15 years. No one

understands Missouri better and no one is more effective at finding solutions. Derek will be a great addition to KBS,” said former U.S. Senator Roy Blunt.

KBS offers numerous services such as Government Affairs, Communications, Business and Political Consulting, and more.

 Coats will be based in Jefferson City and will assist with KBS’s client efforts throughout the Midwest and Washington, D.C. Additionally, he will continue his work as a campaign consultant, providing strategic advice to political leaders in Missouri.

“We are thrilled to welcome Derek to the KBS team. I’ve had the privilege of knowing him personally for many years and have always admired his expertise in the political and governmental arenas. Beyond his impressive professional skills, Derek is a person of integrity and will be a perfect fit for our collaborative culture,” said Kenny Hulshof, Chairman of KBS Group. 

Coats will be joining a talented team while bringing years of experience to back him up.