2002 Business Retention and Expansion Conference

October 28-30, 2002
Grand Casino Biloxi Bayview Hotel
Biloxi, Mississippi

Studies have shown that between 40 and 90 percent of all new job creation comes from existing businesses. Learning to build on the business/industrial base of a community is a valuable tool.

To provide professionals with the indepth training necessary to implement a local economic development program focused on the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Specific emphasis will be placed on the use of volunteers to visit existing businesses and administer a survey designed to solicit input about the local community, business climate, availability of qualified labor and the need for additional training and technical assistance.

This course teaches participants how to lead a community business visitation program. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be able to understand how an economy works and where a business retention and expansion (BRE) program “fits” in a local economic development strategy; identify local leaders to serve on a leadership team and advisory task force, write a plan of work to implement and guide the program, identify and resolve issues of immediate concern to local businesses and develop a strategic implementation plan.

Monday, October 28

1:00 p.m. Introduction to course

1:30 p.m. Self-introduction of participants

2:15 p.m. Three BR&E visitation options

2:45 p.m. Social capital's role in economic development and the Mission of BREV

3:15 p.m. Break

3:45 p.m. Volunteer visitor training

5:45 p.m. Adjourn

Tuesday, October 29

7:30 a.m. Continental breakfast

8:00 a.m. Team preparation and travel to firm visits

8:15 a.m. Firm visits

10:00 a.m. Return travel to site

10:30 a.m. Red flag review

11:15 a.m. Good visitation practices

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Individual studying

2:00 p.m. Leadership team planning

3:30 p.m. Presentations by leadership teams

5:00 p.m. Adjourn

Wednesday, October 30

7:30 a.m. Continental breakfast

8:00 a.m. Task force retreat

8:45 a.m. Research reports - Good, bad and ugly

9:30 a.m. Mission and objectives: Can we drop any steps?

10:00 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. Wrap up quiz and evaluation

11:00 a.m. Final workshop questions and next steps

11:30 a.m. Adjourn

Henry M. Cothran, University of Florida, has over 20 years experience working with local governments. He is a BREI Certified Master Consultant and has served as a consultant to seven business retention and expansion programs over the last two years. In addition, he has taught the BRE Visitation Consultant Certification course over four times and currently serves as the chair of the committee that maintains the consultant certification course.

Kathleen Tweeten, North Dakota State University, is a certified BREI Certified Master Consultant and has conducted 15 BRE programs. She is the co-author of the Consultant Certification Course materials and has co-taught the certification course nine times.

Program Sponsor:

Box 9656
410 Bost Extension Building
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: (662) 325-3207
Fax: (662) 325-8915
bonniet@srdc.msstate.edu
http://srdc.msstate.edu