BREI Certification

BREI offers classes leading toward the Business Retention and Expansion Professional (BREP).

Effective January 1, 2006, BREI changed its initial certification designation from "BR&E Consultant" to "BR&E Project Coordinator." This designation is renewable every three years for those who meet the experience and education requirements. Anyone receiving the designation of BR&E Consultant prior to July 1, 2006 may now renew at that level but will be designated a BR&E Project Coordinator.

Effective October 1, 2006, BREI changes its Certified Master Consultant designation to Business Retention and Expansion Professional. Anyone holding the designation of BR&E Consultant or BR&E Project Coordinator as of that date may, by completing the appropriate education and experience requirements, be awarded the BREP designation. And BREI member who was certified as a BR&E Consultant, BR&E Project Coordinator or Certified Master Consultant priot to October 1, 2006 has four years (until September 30, 2010) to complete the requirements for BREP. Those not wishing to attain the higher certification rank may recertify as BR&E Project Coordinator.

BREI Basic Certification - BR&E Project Coordinator

BREI recognizes three training courses for those seeking the designation of BR&E Project Coordinator. Completion of any of these courses also counts as one of the required courses needed to attain the designation of Business Retention and Expansion Professional. Two of the courses are offered live and one is offered on-line.

BREI offers two face-to-face training courses: the Basic Course and the Community Leaders’ Course. The Basic Course is offered annually in conjunction with the BREI conference and “on-demand” when a community or organization wishes to sponsor a local training. The Community Leaders’ Course is offered any time a community or organization wishes to sponsor a training course. Find out more about sponsoring a course - contact Connie.

In addition to the face-to-face version of the Community Leaders’ course an on-line version is offered by the University of Minnesota. The frequency of course offerings and start dates are determined by the University.

The third face-to-face course is offered through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. A select number of municipalities in Ontario have implemented some form of a business visitation program. However smaller municipalities generally have not had the resources to initiate such an economic development strategy. In 1997, the Rural Programs Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs took steps to develop business retention and expansion (BR+E) resources for use by rural communities. This course is only offered in the Province of Ontario for and participation is limited to Provincial residents.

Upon completion of the Basic Course or recognized equvalent and any assignment, the attendee received certification at BR&E Project Coordinator. This designation is valid for three years from date of issue.

BR&E Project Coordinator Recertification

Members that have been previously certified as BR&E Consultants or as BR&E Project Coordinators have three years to renew their certification.

Business Retention and Expansion Professional Certification

After completion of the BREI Basic Course or a recognized equivalent, participants have four years to complete the requirements and advance to BREP. The requirements include education and BRE program participation. This certification is valid for a period of three years.

Business Retention and Expansion Professional Recertification

Participants qualified as BREP must recertify every three years.

Master Business Retention and Expansion Professional Certification

Master Business Retention and Expansion Professional is an honorary designation bestowed by the BREI Board to members that have achieved BREP and excelled beyond all requirements.

Note: Certification forms require a .pdf viewer, such as Adobe Reader.