(Shelby, NC) – July 30, 2012 -- Fred Julius, Chief Operating Officer for The Wilderman Group announced the debut of the LeGrand Center to coincide with the exciting events for the American Legion World Series (ALWS) on August 17-21 at its new official permanent home at Keeter Stadium - Veteran's Field – in Shelby, NC.  Cleveland County officials have great expectations that this and many upcoming events at the new Center will continue to bring jobs for county residents.

LeGrand Center is a collaboration among the Cleveland County, North Carolina Board of Education, County Board of Commissioners and the Cleveland Community College Foundation Board, LeGrand Center is the $19-million, 44,000 square–foot conference center set within the new 89,000 square foot building on the campus of Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC.

A unique partnership between Cleveland Community College and the management team at The Wilderman Group evolved to a comprehensive hospitality training program conducted onsite at the college to identify and instruct potential wait staff to work during the many social and business functions, meetings, economic development events and receptions scheduled at the Center.  The ongoing hospitality training sessions provide basic instruction on serving procedures and provide opportunities for local residents to serve as on-call staff for the many functions and events scheduled at the Center.  Some of these events will host as many as 900 guests.

“This is consistent with our mission to support Cleveland County’s local economic development strategy to strengthen the growth of local businesses” said Kristin Kurie, President of The Wilderman Group that manages LeGrand Center.

The new LeGrand Center will host a series of prestigious events including the National Commander’s Reception with special guest artist Lee Greenwood, The American Legion World Series Luncheon for American Legion players and their families, and the Banquet of Champions featuring a special performance by the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus. “This project has been two years in the making,” said Ms. Kurie“ and we are very excited that the official kickoff will be in conjunction with the ALWS.”

Kurie also notes that the final preparations for the opening of the Center include a careful and concurrent orchestration of the many contractors, vendors, designers, architects, and inspections that go into the opening of such a vast facility. “We recognize the significance the ALWS has to the community” said Kurie, “and we are in full efficiency mode to meet every detail of the many timetables and schedules.”

LeGrand Center
Designed to meet the strict criteria established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), LeGrand Center is one of the largest LEED-certified projects in Cleveland County and utilizes modern, energy-efficient materials, utilize natural lighting and feature cutting-edge conference technology for both the education and conference spaces. The new conference center also features advanced conference technology and audio/visual capabilities to enhance the meeting experience and add efficiencies and convenience to other events such as banquets and social gatherings.

The LeGrand Center is part of Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities which helps transform physical communities into connected communities that can help realize sustainable economic growth, enable environmental sustainability, and enhance the quality of life. Environmental/sustainable features will be implemented throughout the Center. The sustainable design will follow the rigorous standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and innovative design.

Nestled in the rolling piedmont of the southwest region of North Carolina, Cleveland County is a gateway between Asheville and Charlotte, and is at the center of two of the largest metropolitan areas of the Carolinas – Charlotte and Greenville/Spartanburg.  Shelby epitomizes small town charm and is only 30 minutes from Charlotte.  The County boasts a comprehensive economic development strategy, known as Focus Cleveland, which has explored six areas of development including economic development, entrepreneurial efforts, government, infrastructure, marketing, and work force.

About The Wilderman Group
The Wilderman Group is a woman-owned hospitality management company that specializes in operating meeting and event venues, and civic and community developments throughout the Southeast. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, The Wilderman Group is a full-service management firm with a team of industry experts in all areas of hospitality including, operations, sales and marketing management, food and beverage, environmental programs and an emphasis on supporting local economies and strengthening communities. Their “sleeves-rolled-up” style of management focuses on success – from the owner’s perspective. For details on the capabilities and services offered by The Wilderman Group, visit the website at www.TheWildermanGroup.com or call 843.670.5056.

The Wilderman Group is committed to environmental stewardship and is a proud and active member of the US Green Building Council’s South Carolina Chapter, Georgia Chapter, Charlotte Regional Chapter, and the International Association of Conference Centers.

LeGrand Center is a collaboration among the Cleveland County, North Carolina Board of Education, County Board of Commissioners and the Cleveland Community College Foundation Board, LeGrand Center is the new, $19-million, 44,000 square–foot conference center set within the new 89,000 square foot building on the campus of Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC.  Designed to meet the strict criteria established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), LeGrand Center is one of the largest LEED-certified projects in Cleveland County and utilizes modern, energy-efficient materials, utilize natural lighting and feature cutting-edge conference technology for both the education and conference spaces. The new conference center also features advanced conference technology and audio/visual capabilities to enhance the meeting experience and add efficiencies and convenience to other events such as banquets and social gatherings. www.legrandcenter.org