Released on = June 28, 2006, 2:37 pm

Press Release Author = Cooperative Ownership Development Corporation

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = The CODC Story: 2006 Mid-Term Report by CODC Management Team

The Cooperative Ownership Development Corporation (CODC), a Silver City-based
business incubation center, has rapidly developed into a premier grass-roots
economic development center in southwest New Mexico.

Since taking over as CODC's executive director in Fall of 2004, Walt Schwarz and his
leadership team have created four programs designed to help Grant County's
underserved, low income business owners.


Press Release Body = News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2006

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Walt Schwarz - Executive Director - 505-388-1604 - asclt@zianet.com
Rick Davis - Program Coordinator - 505-534-1544 - rickdavis@stanfordalumni.org

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The CODC Story: 2006 Mid-Term Report by CODC Management Team
Silver City Business Incubator Makes Great Strides Under New Management

The Cooperative Ownership Development Corporation (CODC), a Silver City-based
business incubation center, has rapidly developed into a premier grass-roots
economic development center in southwest New Mexico.

Since taking over as CODC's executive director in Fall of 2004, Walt Schwarz and his
leadership team have created four programs designed to help Grant County's
underserved, low income business owners.

1. CODC's bread and butter service is to provide custom business training, support,
and guidance to 25 clients. CODC's guiding philosophy is to help clients manage the
trade-offs between their business and personal lives. Depending on the scope of
each business situation, some clients arrive with strategic business issues that
require multiple meetings over many months, while others come in with issues needing
just a few hours of counsel in a single session.


2. Since starting the class in October of 2005, CODC has graduated 10 clients from
the MARKETLINK basic business training program. CODC's MARKETLINK training program,
which is directed by local metal artist Coit and staffed by 8 trained volunteer
consultants, is designed to help new and existing business owners learn basic
business operations ranging from the start-up phase though new product development
and expansion. The program is based on WESST Corp's award-winning Perfect Pitch
curriculum which has been successfully delivered in New Mexico for over 15 years.

3.Last year, CODC identified the rapidly-growing non-profit sector as a critically
underserved component of Grant County's economic development future. In response to
this growing sector, beginning in Spring 2006 the CODC Unity Project has provided
no-cost professional support to 5 Grant County non-profits who are actively serving
our community.

3. The CODC Unity Project, headed by Melissa Harbert, former executive director of
Montessori School, is a network of experienced professionals who are making
themselves available to assist Grant County non-profits with strategic support and
project management. The purpose of the CODC Unity Project is to bring together a
diversity of talents and community needs for non-profits and community organizations
to work together for each and mutual benefit. The CODC has designed the Unity
project as a strategically-funded funnel to discover, develop and deliver
professional talent to non-profits in the Grant County area. Our primary goal is to
identify and direct proven professional talent where it's needed most in our
community. Last year, CODC identified and is now responding to the rapidly-growing
non-profit sector as a critically underserved component of Grant County\'s economic
development future. Beginning in Spring 2006, the CODC Unity Project has provided
no-cost professional support to 9 Grant County non-profits who are actively serving
our community.

The CODC Unity Project, headed by Melissa Harbert, a local consultant who has held
non-profit leadership positions for the last 20 years, is a network of experienced
professionals who are making themselves available to assist Grant County
non-profits with strategic support and project management.

4. The latest business training program offered by CODC is Advanced Business
Training curriculum. CODC's advanced curriculum is geared toward clients who already
understand business basics, and need an extra edge on managing through all manners
of organizational and personal transition.


(more)

Rick Davis, a Silver City-based life coach, and Schwarz are the primary instructors
for advanced training. Together, they represent over 35 years of professional
experience delivering advanced holistic business training to corporate, education,
and government clients around the country.

Whether its planning, strategy, operations or reorganization, Schwarz stresses that
CODC offers additional advanced training that addresses ongoing strategic business
issues above the basic operations covered in the MARKETLINK course.

He says, "CODC is just what the doctor ordered for Grant County businesses who are
finding it increasingly tough to operate. In the landscape of southwest New Mexico
business training, we are the only place offering advanced training that goes well
beyond Business 101 basics."

CODC is a 501(c)3 non-profit located in Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico.
Founded in 1987 by a group of local Hispanic activists and churches, CODC continues
to strive to meet its grass-roots mission to effect social and economic change by
providing education and business opportunities for low-income, Hispanic, and other
traditionally underserved minority communities of Southwest New Mexico.

For more information, please contact Walt Schwarz, Executive Director @ 505-388-1604
or acslt@zianet.com .


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Web Site = http://

Contact Details = Walt Schwarz, Executive Director
Cooperative Ownership Development Corporation
610 North Silver Street
Silver City, NM 88061
ph: (505) 388-1604