Training Course: Business Retention and Expansion
Dates: January 26-27, 2017
Location: Jacksonville, FL

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This interactive core training course presents the core components of a BRE program and why the concerns of local businesses need to be actively addressed. By building an understanding of business visitation techniques and survey methods, practitioners will be able to clearly gauge their community's business climate. Learn the "red flags" that may indicate a company is looking to move elsewhere, and learn how to structure an effective technical assistance program to respond to business concerns. This course helps participants understand how a BRE program relates to attraction, workforce development, small business finance, technology transfer and many other economic development activities.

Course Highlights:
• Establishing, maintaining and upgrading a BRE program
• Creating effective models for business visitations and surveys
• Customer-Relationship Management (CRM) techniques
• Marketing a BRE program
• Establishing an early warning system
• Cluster and industry-focused BRE programs
• Tracking and analyzing customer feedback and response
• Quantitative and qualitative economic development metrics

Instructors:

Erik Collins
Director, Community & Economic Development
Montgomery County/Community & Economic Development

Erik Collins is the Director of the Community & Economic Development Department for Montgomery County, Ohio - the state's fourth largest county. Erik oversees various functions for Montgomery County including Building, Planning, and Community & Economic Development Divisions. See full bio.

Laith Wardi, CEcD
President
ExecutivePulse, Inc.

Laith Wardi, CEcD, is president of ExecutivePulse, Inc. He has worked in the economic development profession for over 20 years. Laith has comprehensive experience in business retention & expansion that includes outreach to hundreds of value-added client companies, work as a resource provider, and 15 years of regional program management. In 1994-95, Laith pioneered the first web based system for business retention. Today, the ExecutivePulse™ Business Intelligence System is the most widely used database for business retention & expansion in North America. See full bio.