The New England Performance Excellence Initiative (NEPE Initiative) is a new integrated system of internet collaboration tools and knowledge resources, combined with live monthly gatherings taking place across New England to help all small to medium size enterprises to improve their performance by learning useful methods from business performance management experts and managers of high performance businesses to get bigger, better, stronger, and increase their sales and profits!

The NEPE Initiative Road Show is being launched June 19 by The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC), hosted by UMASS Dartmouth’s Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center (ATMC) in Fall River, MA and in part sponsored by the New England Business Bulletin.

The Road Show is a FREE monthly program delivered across the region showcasing guest speakers and panels comprised of New England based performance management product and service consultants, as well as ‘performance practitioners’ (i.e.) organizations that are actively and successfully employing performance improvement methods. These organizations are eager to share their success stories of how they are achieving performance excellence especially in these difficult economic times.

“We are actively seeking the participation of regional and local news media, small and large companies, local and state development offices, trade organizations, public interest groups and professional associations as collaboration partners in The NEPE Initiative,” said Melinda Ailes, Regional Director at MSBDC’s Southeast Regional Office.

“Together, as partners, we can connect the many individual performance improvement initiatives underway in the public and private sectors which are not aware of one another, and therefore, not taking full collaborative advantage of one another‘s accomplishments and resources,” she said.

“’Performance excellence’ has always been a native New England characteristic, and a distinguishing feature of our community-at-work,” said Charles P. Collins, the moving force behind the NEPE Initiative and Principal of Objective Solutions, LLC, a Boston-area performance management company.

The first presentation will be held at the ATMC at 151 Martine St in Fall River on June 19, 2008 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Warren J. Rutherford of Rutherford Business Advisors will discuss “The ‘Balanced Scorecard’ - a view of business performance beyond financial reports”, Ernie Oliveira of DEO Associates will cover “Continuous Improvement Tools, and Charles P. Collins of Objective Solutions, LLC will introduce “Performance Management by Objectives” - a performance system for small-medium business. Clifford Robbins, Ph.D., Senior Business Advisor, at MSBDC will moderate. Special guest, Jay Patel, Chairman of the North East Quality Council (NEQC) will also speak.

For information and registration please visit: www.NewEnglandPerformanceExcellence.com or call Charles Collins at 781-806-5188.

The MSBDC provides free, high-quality, in-depth business advising, training and capital access which contributes to the entrepreneurial growth of small businesses throughout Massachusetts. Our services are delivered through a network of skilled professional staff supported by a federal, state and higher education consortium as well as several partnerships.