The Rockingham County Business & Technology Center (RCBTC) has been awarded a $300,000
grant from the e-NC Authority to support its ongoing efforts to stimulate entrepreneurship and
technology-based economic development in Rockingham County. The grant is part of $1.2
million provided to the e-NC Authority by the N.C. General Assembly during its 2007 session to
support its Business & Technology Telecenter program. Funding is payable over a two-year
period.

The RCBTC is one of seven e-NC Telecenters, all located in distressed rural areas of North
Carolina. Since opening in July 2005, the RCBTC has created 48 jobs, trained 347 individuals for
a total of 757 contact hours and helped clients qualify for $277,000 in business loans. As part of
its technology-based economic development efforts, the RCBTC has created a statewide
recognized website that includes a business planning & resource guide specific to Rockingham
County and a web-based calendar that highlights events and workshops related to technology
and entrepreneurship across the Piedmont Triad. The Center was also selected by the e-NC
Authority to prepare and present a series of e-business workshops across North Carolina during
the second half of 2007.

Additionally, the RCBTC has invested a great deal of effort developing infrastructure
and systems beyond its core operations. Specifically, it has created a branch of SCORE®, the
Service Corps of Retired Executives, to increase its capacity to provide business counseling. To
date, seven volunteer business counselors with over 200 years of combined experience have
been recruited and are offering their time to help entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in
Rockingham County.

According to Mark Wells, the RCBTC's Executive Director, "The most
successful organizations surround themselves with the best talent they can find. I'm trying to do
that with staff, volunteers and partners. SCORE is one great example."

The RCBTC also has partnered with the Eden, Reidsville and Western Rockingham Chambers of Commerce,
the RCC Small Business Center, the City of Eden Business Development Office, the City of Reidsville
Economic Development Office and the Rockingham County Partnership for Economic & Tourism
Development to create the Business Coalition of Rockingham County. By working together, we
are working to guarantee a business-friendly environment in Rockingham County.
The RCBTC also has partnered with NC Cooperative Extension and the Rockingham
Opportunities Corporation to launch the Rockingham Community Kitchen, a certified commercial
kitchen available for farmer and caterer entrepreneurs to rent in order to help them
avoid expensive start-up costs often associated with food businesses. Currently, the RCBTC is
working with the Rockingham County Engineering Department and Appalachian State
University's Energy Center to evaluate the ability to extract methane from the County's landfill for
use to support entrepreneurs. It also plans to lead a county-wide technology plan designed to
improve broadband and cellular communication coverage in the County.

None of its prior accomplishments nor its future plans would be possible without the support of
the e-NC Authority and matching support from the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners.
Rockingham County's economy is improving because of their continued belief in the RCBTC and
the impact it is having in the community.