Mason Enterprise Center Opens Satellite Site in Prince William County

The Mason Enterprise Center is expanding its services to telecommuters, entrepreneurs and small businesses with the opening of the Mason Enterprise Center at Prince William County (MEC@PWC) on Nov. 1.

“The center will create a new opportunity for remotely accessing employment centers for government and private sector employees in the Manassas area and linking them to George Mason University. As such it will open up a wide range of potential business and educational resources for users that I am sure they have not imagined possible as well as creating remote access to their workplaces,” said Roger Stough, director of the Mason Enterprise Center.

The Prince William Campus’ new Bull Run Hall will house the MEC@PWC.

The new facility’s trademark service is a telework center, which will provide 33 work stations for “anyone who feels they would work well from a professional environment instead of driving into DC,” according to Keith Segerson, who developed the new center. The center, which will provide telecommuters with computer stations, hi-speed internet, telephones and voicemail, is similar to Enterprise’s other telework centers in Reston, Sterling, Manassas and Fairfax.

Telecommuting reduces travel time and expense, increases worker productivity, and boosts morale, according to Segerson. In addition to the telework center, the MEC@PWC will provide:

• A small business accelerator program, offering affordable office and conference space, shared administrative support and business services to start-up and emerging growth companies.
• The Procurement Technical Assistance Program, a not-for-profit organization funded by the Defense Logistics Agency and George Mason University. The free program offers procurement assistance to small businesses interested in government contracting and serves as a link between small businesses, the federal government and major prime contractors.
• The Mentor-Protégé Program, a federal program that encourages potential Department of Defense prime contractors (mentors) to partner with disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses (protégés) to promote the development of technical and business capabilities with a goal toward application and award of federal defense contracts. The program is free to qualified participants.
• Seminars and training opportunities that address the needs of Manassas/Prince William area businesses and entrepreneurs. Cost varies by presentation.

“The whole effort is based on economic development and outreach to support the business community of Prince William County,” Segerson says.

For additional information about George Mason’s network of enterprise centers, visit www.masonenterprisecenter.org or call 703-277-7700.