Bill Strickland is the President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and its divisions, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild (MCG) and Bidwell Training Center (BTC), both founded in 1968, and National Center for Arts and Technology in 2005.
As president and CEO his duties include: developing and implementing major fund-raising plans of action; working with Boards of Directors and Industrial Advisory Boards; encouraging participation of corporate executive officials from major multi-national Pittsburgh corporations. Strickland has completed the development of a 40,000 sq. ft. production greenhouse, created for the development of Phalaenopsis orchids and hydroponics vegetables, and a 62,000 sq. ft. facility as a mortgage free asset for both MCG and BTC. The facilities include a 350-seat music/lecture hall, library, arts studios and labs, dining and meeting rooms, state-of-the-art award winning audio and video recording studios, serve as a demonstration site for Hewlett Packard and Steelcase equipment and are home to 25,000 Phalaenopsis orchids that are cultivated for wholesale distribution.
The National Center for Arts & Technology (NCAT) a division of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation (MBC,) was created to assist interested communities in opening and sustaining local educational organizations that replicate the MBC Model. There are currently nine operational centers in the United States and one center in Israel. Throughout his distinguished career, Strickland has been honored with numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to the arts and the community.
