ANAHEIM, Calif., Jul 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Willdan Group, Inc. ("Willdan") (NASDAQ:WLDN), a leading provider of outsourced engineering, public finance, and homeland security services to public agencies in California and other western states announced today that it has hired Mike Deblieux, Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR), as Vice President of Willdan Management Services (WMS). WMS is a new operating group under Willdan Homeland Solutions (WHS).

Willdan Homeland Solutions' President and CEO Vic Thies said, "Mike brings to Willdan an expertise in extremely effective supervisory and management leadership training and services. We welcome the opportunity to utilize his 20+ years of senior management consulting experience to benefit our clients as we look to expand our services to the public and private sectors. Mike's ongoing relationships with several hundred clients will allow Willdan to immediately expand its presence in the on-site training industry.

"Mike also brings to Willdan the ability to provide a broad range of training and management consulting services to large and small organizations throughout the United States. Mike recently spoke at the SHRM conference in Chicago, where he presented a pre-conference workshop on designing performance review systems, as well as a break-out session on HR's role in helping new supervisors get off to a good start."

Mr. Deblieux is a nationally recognized author, trainer, and human resources (HR) consultant. He specializes in teaching fundamental people management skills to workplace leaders, and speaks at a variety of conferences and events each year. He has received the "Distinguished Instructor" award from the University of California, Irvine Extension HR Certificate Program. He has been recognized as a Blue Ribbon Speaker by the American Management Association, and is a frequent speaker at Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) conferences. Mr. Deblieux is the author of seven HR-related books, including SHRM's best-selling "Performance Appraisal Source Book." Mr. Deblieux was awarded the prestigious "Professionals in Human Resources Association, HR Excellence" award in 2001.

WMS provides premier management consulting services to public and private employers. WMS's goal is to extend its clients' reach by implementing effective leadership techniques and practices for organizations and their leaders. WMS focuses on providing customized solutions to meet the unique needs of their diverse client base. WMS's scope of services includes organizational assessments (management audits, feasibility studies, and service consolidation studies), management and supervisory training, mandated training, personnel background investigations, workplace investigations, leadership coaching, and keynote and conference presentations.

About Willdan

Founded over 40 years ago, Willdan is a leading provider of outsourced services to public agencies in California and other western states. Willdan's family of companies assist cities and other government agencies with a broad range of services, including civil engineering, building and safety services, geotechnical engineering, financial and economic consulting, and disaster preparedness and homeland security. More information on Willdan can be found at www.willdan.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan Group's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the Company will not be able to expand its services or meet the needs of customers in markets in which it operates. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, a slowdown in the local and regional economies of the states where Willdan conducts business and the loss of or inability to hire additional qualified professionals. The Company's business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the Form 10-K annual report for the year ended December 28, 2007 filed on March 27, 2008. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan Group, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

SOURCE: Willdan Group, Inc.

Willdan Group, Inc.
Kimberly Gant, Chief Financial Officer, 714-940-6329
kgant@willdan.com
or
Financial Profiles, Inc.
Moira Conlon, 310-277-4907
mconlon@finprofiles.com

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