Many regular readers of SSD will recognize Grey Group Training as one of the fastest growing online sources for cutting edge gear. Some of you probably even know about the pro shop right outside of Ft. Bragg, or you may have heard some scuttlebutt about their upcoming retail ventures. The surprising thing is that many of you probably don’t know there is actually the “training†side to Grey Group. While researching this article, I was amazed at the amount of training opportunities organized for the upcoming year.
The training side actually started before the either the retail or online stores were operational. While Grey Group CEO Josh Burmeister was working for another company he began hosting classes with some of the top instructors in the world. Once he formed Grey Group he solidified the infrastructure for hosting classes, and began growing both the number of instructors as well as the footprint of the training around the country.
Along with rapid growth and success came some challenges. Running the business, teaching, and deploying on top of keeping track of the training became overwhelming for just one person. There were also limitations associated with booking classes on the old web store. So, a Director of Training and dedicated customer service representatives were hired. Then, a new web store with better functionality was created (and an even newer one will be launched very soon). These additions have provided the easy one-stop shopping training and equipping that Grey Group has come to be known for.
In this industry reputation is everything, and Grey Group has put great effort into theirs. That is why most of the premier instructors and training companies in the country trust Grey Group to handle their training schedules and backside support. The list is a who’s who in the training world includes: Larry Vickers, Ken Hackathorn, TigerSwan, Bennie Cooley, Steve Tarani, Dave Harrington, Kyle Defoor, Rob Haught, Jason Falla, Paul Howe, SouthNarc, Jim Smith, Frank Garcia, Mike Pannone, and Pat Mcnamara, Solkoa. Additionally, Grey Group will be announcing a few more soon. What makes this even better is that they schedule classes with these premier instructors in a variety of locations across the country. As of now, there are about 150 classes in over 15 locations on the Grey Group schedule for 2011 with more to be added as the year progresses. They are still working to finalize some of the dates but many are already on their web store.
Grey Group also has another side of the training industry. They provide instructors for closed training for Military, Law Enforcement, and Security Professionals. This is usually provided by instructors with tremendous resumes, but without the recognition of some of the more known instructors on the schedule. Keep an eye out for some of these new names from Grey Group. You may not know them yet, but if they are in the Grey Group lineup you can bet they are well qualified and soon to be a heavy hitter in the training world. But please, by no means think that the training offered by Grey Group is just for the pros. Sure, some of the classes have restrictions but the vast majority are open enrollment.
There are few companies that have a retail store, an online store, and a training division under one roof. Even fewer do it all to the level of fidelity that Grey Group does. Furthermore, no one else is offering this variety of training around the country. This one-stop shopping approach to training is refreshing. Next time you want to attend a class, or your unit is looking for some training, consider Grey Group Training. Training is in the name for a reason.
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