President’s Report

November 15, 2005

Dear CCI Friends and new readers,

This month, CCI is extraordinarily busy with the largest PEP fall session ever. At the moment we have ten PEP delegations of Russian entrepreneurs active in twelve cities in ten different states. Hosted by twelve Rotary Clubs and one Kiwanis club, PEP business training is happening in some 120 American companies! Another four delegations have either just left or are coming shortly. Needless to say, we are working overtime to keep up with it all.

Our PEP transition to "full sustainability," where Russian entrepreneurs pay the full cost of their training, is hitting the halfway mark. In January, PEP delegates will pay $3,500 each to participate. This price will continue until end of 2006, at which time the cost will rise to $4,500.

Russia's business owners are getting more sophisticated by the month; hence, their needs and expectations for business training have risen to new levels. Even though we have no competitors (being the only out-of-country business training now available to Russians), we must increase the caliber of our business training in order to stay relevant to our target population.

CCI is in the middle of an internal audit on every aspect of PEP business training. We are revising, redirecting, and shifting controls for both tasks and quality at each level of training. The roll out for changes is January 1, 2006.

We are adding a new menu of training options for PEP alumni who have urged us to offer second delegations to those who have diversified to new markets. Additionally, we are beginning new Advanced Business Management Training for alumni who are preparing themselves for sizable lenders or investors. This training will occur in San Francisco, where it will feature hotel stays and paid-specialist trainers. Lastly, we will enlarge the summer program serving university-student sons and daughters of PEP alumni, who are in need a "hands-on," practical look at American businesses, civic clubs, and homes. The participants in this program (who will be English-speakers) will spend three-to-four weeks in one community at a cost of approximately $2,000.

In September, we launched our new travel program, The Russia Connection, to take Americans to Russia for a truly unique type of international travel. We specialize in organizing trips that allow American hosts of PEP to go to Russia to visit friends in their own cities and businesses - plus MUCH more! Click here for an on-the-ground glimpse of what our travelers do in The Russia Connection!

Best wishes to you for a delightful holiday season with loved ones and friends,

Best wishes to you from Russia,

Sharon Tennison
President