The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Champaign County EDC is pleased to announce that Tim Montague, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Specialist, has successfully attained the professional Accredited Business Planning Advisor designation (ABPA). Montague attended the Accredited – Certified Business Planning Advisor training in Orlando in late 2013, and passed the required comprehensive credential exam.

This advanced training program is offered nationally by The Apogee Center for business consultants, financial advisors and economic development professionals. Montague was part of the fifth national class of professional advisors trained by The Apogee Center to assist rural and at-risk urban business owners and their communities with the coming wave of business owner retirements.

Apogee President, Odee Ingersoll said, “We are thrilled to have Tim as part of our latest graduating class of professional advisors. Tim’s participation demonstrates his long-term commitment to business owners and economic development in Champaign-Urbana and the surrounding region.”

Nationally, up to 70% of existing business owners are expected to leave their business over the next 10 years or less; as many as 52% by 2017. ABPA and CBPA advisors provide comprehensive exit and succession planning services to small business owners who have been unable to afford these advanced services until now, in an effort to support communities and their economies. The ABPA-CBPA program is the only nationwide program of its kind to direct services to the small business owner and to the community they do business in.

Montague says “The program’s goal is not only to ensure the owner has the greatest number of opportunities to successfully sell or leave their business at maximum value, it also introduces the concept of NxGen Entrepreneurship© – using the purchase of an existing business as an alternative path to entrepreneurship for many would-be business owners. Developing a local buyer or successor keeps the existing businesses in place, contributing to their communities. It also provides an opportunity for new local wealth creation. This is an opportunity that many prospective entrepreneurs would never have had available outside of this program of service.”

In addition to his ability to provide professional exit and succession planning services, Montague will soon be able to provide businesses and communities with access to a new nationwide business creation, economic development and skills marketing platform called MyBizFind. The nationwide program will launch in the spring of 2014. It is designed to connect entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, people with marketable skills, service providers, buyers, sellers, communities and more – and allow users to search for and find business opportunities and assistance.

Montague is one of over 100 professionals from over 20 U.S. states and provinces including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to train to assist business owners with increasing their business value and preparing for a successful exit or family succession event.

The ABPA and CBPA training program is available nationwide to professionals from Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and to financial consultants including CPA’s, Financial Planners and Attorneys. It’s also available to college or university entrepreneurship programs, community staff, utility representatives and economic development professionals.

Contact:
Carly McCrory, Communications Director
Champaign County Economic Development Corporation
(217) 359-6261
carly@champaigncountyedc.org