Speaking & Training for Business Retention and Expansion

ExecutivePulse principals Laith Wardi and Del Birch have over a decade of experience providing highly interactive and energetic speaking and training sessions on all facets of business retention.  A variety of organizations – from state and provincial economic development associations to regional groups – have consistently relied on Wardi and Birch to ‘preach the gospel of BR&E’ as the essential foundation for any community’s economic development strategy.

BR&E Skills Training

For clients across the United States and Canada, Wardi and Birch tailor training to the unique needs and circumstances – an approach that reflect the diverse differences in communities and local/regional economies.  Sessions range from basic "101" curriculum to highly advanced training in outreach techniques, team building, effective management strategies and use of a common database to foster communications and collaboration among and between various organizations on the BR&E team.

All training is based on the real world experience in business retention and expansion that Wardi and Birch offer.  Each has individually conducted hundreds and hundreds of face-to-face BR&E visits with business owners of large and small companies, in both manufacturing and a wide variety of non-manufacturing sectors, and in urban and rural settings.

Professional Certification Training for IEDC

Since 1997, Wardi and Birch have provided the business retention and expansion training for the professional certification program offered by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). 

The BR&E class is a required course for IEDC’s professional certification program.  Sessions conducted by Wardi and Birch are consistently highest rated among all IEDC certification courses.  Since 1997, thousands of economic, workforce, community development professionals and government officials throughout North America have attended these courses, consistently rating the course – and its instructors – as "excellent," as monitored by IEDC.