NANCY ALLEN
engage and educate our WBEs through targeted
Although our 20th Anniversary celebration kicks
PRESIDENT & CE0
industry sessions as well as appointment-only
off in New Orleans, make sure to join us in Las
MatchMaker meetings. Our Women’s Business
Vegas for the National Conference & Business Fair
Enterprise Stars will share growth stories in order
from June 20 to 22 and at our Annual Corporate
to drive our vision forward.
Meeting at Nemacolin Woodlands Resorts. Take
WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF FLORIDA
LINDA SEXTON GLOBAL PROCUREMENT MANAGER EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION
advantage of your local RPOs meetings and events We are so grateful for the generosity and strategic investment of our Corporate and Government
View our entire roster of the WBENC Board of Directors.
to get the very most value from your involvement in the WBENC network.
leaders and to all of our Summit & Salute sponsors who provide opportunities throughout the network.
It is a GREAT time to be a member of the
In New Orleans, we are excited to welcome
The memories from these past 20 years would not
WBENC network!
these leaders and leaders from America’s Top
have been possible without your commitment and
PAMELA PRINCE-EASON
Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises to
our future vision will be achieved because of you.
WBENC PRESIDENT AND CEO
RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
OUR MISSION AS THE LEADER OF WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MEANS UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS ACROSS THE NATION FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES BASED ON THEIR IDENTITIES. WE HOPE OUR 2017 SUMMIT & SALUTE THEME OF “REFLECTION & VISION,” ENCOURAGES ALL OF US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LOOK TO A FUTURE WHERE WE CREATE THE PATHWAYS TO EQUALITY AND INCLUSION.
A
s we recognize Black History Month, let’s
In addition, we learned that the five top states for
with non-minority women-owned firms averaging
celebrate the increase in the number of
Black women-owned businesses are the following:
$201,948 in annual revenues and minority women-
women of color who have launched their
own business, which has more than doubled since 2007, to nearly 5 million. Women of color comprise fully 44% of all women-owned firms, according to
• MICHIGAN
• ILLINOIS
• WISCONSIN
• OHIO
• INDIANA Yet despite minority-owned WBEs (MWBEs)
Owned Businesses Report.
being one of the fastest growing segments of new
recently released additional research in their United We Thrive 2016 Annual Report, including the impressive statistic that of nonfarm and privately held Black businesses, 58.9% are women-owned.
At WBENC, we know there is work to be done to create an economy of equality and inclusion. We
the American Express OPEN’s State of Women-
The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC)
owned firms averaging $68,982.
business, according to the American Express OPEN report, the average MWBE annual revenues
are surrounded by a driven, diverse network of more than 14,000 WBENC-Certified WBEs who work together to level the playing field and celebrate the contributions of all women business owners.
are less than half that of the average non-minority
As you join me in celebrating Black History Month,
women-owned firm. Overall, women-owned
focus on what you personally can do to impact
businesses average $143,431 in annual revenue,
equality and inclusion of MWBE women.
Learn more about this benchmark data by downloading the NWBC’s Fact Sheet Black Women-Owned Businesses.
WWW.WBENC.ORG // FEBRUARY EDITION 2017
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