When you ask Leon Charles “Charlie” Moncla, Jr. (’70) about his alma mater, a palpable spark of pride appears.
That pride started with his experience on campus as a young student at F.M. Hamilton Laboratory School through becoming a student-athlete at the then-University of Southwestern Louisiana. He has shared his career success through millions of dollars in University financial support over the years, and that legacy will continue with his charitable remainder trust planned gift to the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF).
As an economics major in the late 1960s, a professor told Moncla he could expect to make about $750,000 during his lifetime. Moncla decided he wanted to set his personal and professional goals higher, and after graduating he proceeded to achieve them.
Moncla’s successful career in the oil and gas services industry spans decades. He started off working for his father-in-law Cecil Guinn at Pelican Well Service in 1971 and helped lead the company with widow Virginia Guinn several years later when Cecil passed away. Moncla left Pelican in 1984 to start his own company, Moncla Well Service. He grew the company from only one rig and six employees to 53 rigs and over 1,000 employees when he sold it in 2007. Since then, he and family members including siblings, sons and nephews have helped lead Moncla Energy Services.
Even in the early years when he had to temporarily cancel his season tickets due to a high workload, his commitment to supporting the University Athletics was unwavering. And when asked to help, he used his creativity to encourage others to show their pride. When Raymond Cordova asked him to help get more fans cheering at the football games in the late 1970s, he suggested handing out duck calls. The idea was a hit and reinforced his love for being part of the special Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics experience.
Moncla is incredibly proud of how far the University has come, where it is headed, and how he is a part of that commitment to excellence. Just saying UL Athletics gets him out of his chair and moves him to do more. Moncla shared, “When I see the Ragin’ Cajuns’ success in the news, I feel fulfilled. What more can a fan ask for?”
Moncla is inspired by the large financial contributions from fellow supporters and hopes his generosity will encourage others; he wants alumni and friends to know that high-achieving goals for the University are never too big.
“It’s a feeling that you just don’t get until you give. Once you make that donation, you’ll love the feeling as long as you live.”
