The Langley Group has assembled an outstanding project team to address the specific project deliverables including Accrisoft Corp. of Boca Raton, MBDⁱ (Mastering Business Development, Inc.) of Charlotte, North Carolina, and an academic advisory team including nationally recognized entrepreneurship professor, Dr. Alan Carsrud of Florida International University, and Tom O'Neil of the University of Central Florida's Technology Incubator.

MBDⁱ was specifically selected because of its business development consulting and training expertise with entrepreneurial, growth-based companies. The firm also has a extensive track record in the economic development arena, working with Progress Energy in both Florida and the Carolinas, as well as other nationally known utility and governmental economic development teams. Bill Scheessele, MBDⁱ President and CEO, stated, "We are pleased by the confidence The Langley Group has placed in our services and processes. It is with great satisfaction that we are now given the opportunity to partner with CEO, Mike Langley, and his team of professionals in implementing the vision of the National Entrepreneur Center concept in central Florida." 

The project, to be implemented as part of the new Disney/SBA National Entrepreneur Center in Orlando, Florida, opening in June, makes Langley Group the developer and integrator of entrepreneurial training and education, aimed at entrepreneurial growth in Florida and beyond. This NEC project will provide training initially in the Central Florida facility, and expand throughout the state through distance learning, web-based training or other transportable media training, as well as traditional modes of delivery.
 

The NEC is a collaborative effort built on the strengths and principles of partnership between the public sector, private industry and select non-profit organizations. It assembles the expertise and assistance from various organizations with the common goal of helping budding small and medium sized businesses with technical and training support. The first such collaborative effort of this type is located in San Jose, California (www.ecenteronline.org) and provides a model on which Florida will expand.

The Langley Group add-on training initiative addresses the three major Workforce Florida Inc. components of First Jobs/First Wages, Better Jobs/Better Wages, and High Skills/High Wages, with an special emphasis to impact the success of entrepreneurs and businesses resulting in higher wage job opportunities that strengthen and diversify Florida's economy, especially in high technology sectors.

MBDⁱ has been providing business development training and consulting services for more than 24 years. The firm specializes in transformational learning experiences for business development professionals dealing with services or goods with high intangible and/or intellectual value. For more information, go to www.mbdi.com.