Head of the class: Tri-C's new corporate college offers entrepreneurs the training and meeting space they need to gain an edge.(Resources; Cuyahoga Community College)

When John Bothwell accepted an invitation to attend a program at a new Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) facility, he never imagined it would lead to a fruitful business relationship.

But the president and owner of Westlake-based Bothwell Group Inc., a sales and management consulting and training company he began 15 years ago, was so impressed with Corporate College that he's gone back again and again.

Corporate College, Tri-C's newest facility, opened in Westlake in April 2003 as a continuing education center for businesses and their employees.

Bothwell attended a business development program as part of Corporate College's Business Breakfast Series in June 2003. Not only did the program surpass Iris expectations, but so did the facility on Center Ridge Road, which previously served as corporate headquarters of the Richard E. Jacobs Group Inc., a Cleveland-based commercial real estate development company.

"In fact, I was kind of jealous that they got such a nice facility," he says.

Soon after, Bothwell started using Corporate College classrooms to hold conferences …