The NC Product Design and Prototyping Co-Op, a project of the RTP Product Development Guild, is continuing its popular lunch and learn series with an event hosted at Fidelity Bank in Cary on Wednesday, October 28, from 12-1:30 p.m.

The lunch and learn events are one of several educational and business networking opportunities presented by the Co-Op in an effort to promote regional entrepreneurship and, specifically, growth in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.

"Fortune Small Business Magazine just ranked the greater Raleigh area third in the nation for small business growth, something we've been focusing our efforts on with Co-Op and Guild events and outreach," Montie Roland, a founding member of the Co-Op, said. According to Roland, he is seeing increasing interest in small business vendors servicing engineering and manufacturing clients from queries the Guild and Co-Op are receiving from outreach vehicles like a recent Product Design Street Faire in Morrisville and a free service directory the Co-Op publishes.

"Reading about Raleigh ranking third for small business growth doesn't surprise me," Roland said, adding, "It's valid notoriety that our region can definitely build on."

Co-Op lunch and learns held so far in 2009 have attracted between 35 and 50 attendees per event from many interconnected industries, mostly representing small-to-mid-sized businesses. Each event provides an educational presentation, along with opportunities for attendees to share leads, resources, and technological innovations.

"Fidelity Bank is 'Right By You' -- this is not just our motto, it's what we do and where we are for our customers. We work side by side with our customers to help our community grow," said Scott Mackey, vice president and business development officer for Fidelity Bank.

Founded in 1909, Fidelity Bank is a full-service financial institution with approximately $1.4 billion in assets and headquartered in Fuquay-Varina. The Bank owns and operates 69 branches in 26 counties throughout North Carolina and Virginia, and was recently rated five stars (a superior rating or the highest rating possible) by BauerFinancial, Inc., an independent ratings company that analyzes banks and credit unions.

To register to attend the October 28 event or download a copy of the Co-Op service directory, visit the NC Product Design and Prototyping Co-Op page at www.rtpproductguild.com.

About the NC Design & Prototyping Co-Op
The NC Design & Prototyping Co-Op is a professional network of service providers driving economic growth in North Carolina's technology and manufacturing communities. The Co-Op membership reflects a wide spectrum of expert practitioners involved in the conceptualization, design, development, production and marketing of innovative products and technologies for multiple industries in the U.S. and overseas. For more information, visit www.rtpproductguild.com or email Montie Roland at montie@montie.com