Press Releases

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2021 Events

ATLANTA – July 28, 2021 - Telisha Farrow Jackson recently joined the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC) as director of programs and operations, where she will engage and empower the growing number of women-owned businesses in the Southeast. GWBC is one of the southeast’s largest nonprofit organizations providing nationally-recognized certification for women-owned businesses in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Jackson brings more than 15 years of operational experience to her role where she oversees the development and execution of all GWBC programs, operations and events, including monthly networking and training events, as well as large scale annual programs like Top Corporations and LACE Awards. In her role, Jackson will ensure that GWBC provides continuous value to its 1,100+ certified members, sustaining corporate members and sponsors through relevant educational, networking and procurement opportunities. Jackson also supports GWBC’s committees, including Engagement, Advocacy and Sustainability, and supervises GWBC’s certification managers, programs and events coordinators.

“We vetted a number of qualified candidates for the position, and Telisha was the clear choice given her previous diverse experience and her ability to work with both small and large scale organizations and events, as well as her passion for small business success,” said Roz Lewis, president and CEO - GWBC. “I believe Telisha will help the Greater Women’s Business Council reach even greater heights,” she added.

Prior to joining the GWBC, Jackson was with the Department of Administrative Services - State Purchasing Division (DOAS SPD) as a Small Business Outreach Specialist and Georgia Certified Purchasing Associate (GCPA). There, she used her budgeting, underwriting and marketing skills to build civic relationships and awareness for small businesses, and establish and implement programs that increased small businesses’ core capabilities and their chances of procuring government contracts. In fact, one of the programs Jackson created was nominated for the National Association of Procurement Officers’ (NASPO) 2021 A. George Cronin Excellence in Procurement award, and she was invited to participate in the 2021 DOAS Leadership Academy Program.

Before her time with the DOAS, Jackson worked in a variety of industries, including construction, where she managed a $100 million development project, in banking as a branch manager and lending specialist, and as an educator for an inner-city elementary school. Her combination of expertise and experience made her the best choice for working with small and enterprise level businesses looking to grow as Women Certified Businesses (WBEs).

Jackson resides in Atlanta with her family and enjoys being outdoors and attending the many cultural events the city has to offer.

About Greater Women’s Business Council

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a nonprofit organization providing nationally-recognized certification through Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), in addition to innovative programming and value-driven events to meet the unique needs of women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org or follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

 

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Media Contacts: 
Maren Wilburn, on behalf of GWBC
communications 21
mwilburn@c21pr.com
404.814.1330

Or

Sharon Goldmacher, on behalf of GWBC
communications 21
sgoldmacher@c21pr.com
404.814.1330

2020 Events

Greater Womens Business Council GWBC® Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

ATLANTA, March 2, 2020 –The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020 with plans for a full year of events and activities to help women-owned businesses continue to flourish in its three-state region.

The largest provider of certification and development resources for women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, GWBC’s 2020 plans include hosting a number of networking and educational events in cities across its region, providing mentoring and scholarship opportunities, and hosting the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference and Business Fair, June 23-25 in Atlanta.

“We have an exciting year planned, and hosting WBENC’s national conference is a fantastic way to celebrate GWBC’s 20 years of providing WBENC certification,” said GWBC President & CEO Roz Lewis. “Additionally, we are adding even more events, programs and growth opportunities in 2020 for the major corporations, government entities, and women business enterprises (WBEs) that comprise our membership.

“Successful businesses help shape the fabric of thriving communities,” Lewis continued. “And as we look forward to our next 20 years, GWBC is committed to providing resources and support to all our members so that they can continue to contribute in a positive way to the communities where they do business.”

2020 events and programs include:

  • A restructured Power of Partner Marketplace program, with more networking and educational opportunities offered throughout the year in cities across the region.
  • Quarterly orientation sessions for both certified WBEs and corporate members to help maximize certification opportunities.
  • Signature events, including the Top Corporations Awards Luncheon on April 27, 2020 and the LACE Awards Dinner on Nov. 6, 2020 to honor champions that support women businesses and GWBC.
  • Tables of 8 networking events throughout the year in cities across the region.
  • More “Conversations to Grow Your Business” on GWBC’s radio show launched in 2019 with seven episodes and more than a half-million downloads. The live, one-hour show airs the third Thursday of each month with certified women business and corporate members discussing a variety of subjects critical to running a healthy business. Listen to all the episodes at GWBCradio.com.

“Our region is one of the fastest growing for women-owned businesses, and we’re committed to supporting more growth opportunities in years to come for businesses of all sizes,” said Lewis. “Looking at the numbers, women-owned businesses are driving economic growth, not just in our region, but across the United States. According to a recent report by American Express*, women-owned businesses in the U.S. represent 42% of all businesses — nearly 13 million — employing 9.4 million workers and generating revenue of $1.9 trillion.”

In the GWBC region alone, there are more than 1,000 WBENC-certified women-owned businesses generating 9.8 billion in revenue and employing more than 51,000. And the growth of certified WBEs and their economic impact on Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina has been exponential. In the last year alone, the number of workers employed by certified WBEs has increased by 14% while revenues have grown 6% across the region.

To learn more about GWBC, events and other opportunities throughout 2020, visit www.gwbc.org.

* 2019 American Express State of Women-Owned Business report

ABOUT GWBC®

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a nonprofit organization providing nationally-recognized certification through Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), innovative programming and value-driven events customized to the unique needs of women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of over 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and an office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org.

2019 POP

Greater Women’s Business Council Names Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Dr. Shawne Duperon Keynote Speaker for its Largest Business Conference of the Year

Inspiring, Engaging and Empowering Women Entrepreneurs, the 2019 Power of Partnering Marketplace and Golf Tournament is set for August 26-27 in Atlanta

ATLANTA – August 8, 2019 – The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), the leading provider of certification and development resources for women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, has secured Dr. Shawne Duperon as keynote speaker for its 2019 Power of Partnering (POP) Marketplace conference, an annual event that brings together hundreds of women entrepreneurs, business leaders, corporations and procurement professionals.

Dr. Duperon, a six-time Emmy winner and Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her global work on forgiveness through Project Forgive, is considered one of the most innovative speakers and consultants on business engagement and retention today.

“GWBC’s Power of Partnering conference brings together a group of dynamic women in business with our corporate partners, and we can’t think of a better speaker to address our audience than Dr. Shawne Duperon,“ said Roz Lewis, president and CEO of GWBC. “Dr. Duperon’s innovative teachings on forgiveness as a leadership skill are game-changing, and during her keynote she’ll demonstrate how ‘accepting the apology you’ll never receive’ will increase engagement, agility, loyalty, respect and incredible conversations in the workplace.”

Dr. Duperon created Project Forgive, a non-profit and non-religious educational foundation, to make an impact on physical and emotional health through the practice and skill of forgiveness. The foundation offers business-related programs focused on tolerance, inclusion and acceptance as well as initiatives for veteran-owned businesses and kids at risk in the juvenile justice system.

As a scholar, Dr. Duperon’s expertise is leading edge. Applying gossip theory, her disruptive strategies caused Project Forgive to go viral, garnering an endorsement from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the honor of a 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Nomination for her work on global leadership.

“Forgiveness truly is a leadership skill that will lead toward smarter risk-taking and powerful choices that can help grow your business, your career and ultimately yourself,” said Dr. Duperon. "Leaders take risks and inevitably will make mistakes. How quickly you forgive yourself has a huge impact on getting back to the place of being an extraordinary leader.”

The two-day conference kicks-off with the Power of Partnering Golf Tournament on August 26 at the Country Club of the South, and culminates on August 27 with the POP Marketplace conference at the Gwinnett Infinite Energy Center.           

Event Overview

Day One – Aug. 26T
he 2019 POP Marketplace Golf Tournament will be held at the Country Club of the South. Participants will enjoy a day of business leisure and networking.

Day Two – Aug. 27
The Power of Partnering (POP) Marketplace conference delivers valuable connections, innovative thinking and takeaways – all designed to help GWBC’s roster of attendees reach their procurement and business goals.

In addition to networking opportunities, the conference features a series of educational workshops led by an influential group of speakers:

  • Andy Fried, accounting and finance consultant, UGA Small Business Development Center, will discuss the steps to take to improve cash flow in your business.
  • Raj Verma, vice president procurement services, GoProcure, will focus on effective paths to procurement for both women businesses and Fortune 500 companies.
  • M. Melinda Pitts, research center director, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will explore the latest labor market trends and how they may affect business.
  • A panel of industry experts led by moderator Becky Davis, CEO of MVPWork, will share tips on financial planning, asset accumulation and wealth building in a discussion on wealth through entrepreneurship. The panel includes: DeShawn Bullard, CEO, NouriTress Perfect Hair Products; Kenzie Biggins, President and Founder, Worxbee; and Dr. Nika White, President and CEO, Nika White Consulting. This workshop is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company.

The POP Marketplace Power Luncheon will feature Dr. Duperon’s keynote speech on “accepting the apology you’ll never receive.” GM is sponsoring Dr. Duperon’s appearance at the conference.

Sponsors and corporate partners will network with WBE attendees as they experience the POP Marketplace tradeshow. POP sponsors include Accenture, Aflac, ASAP Solutions Group, AT&T, Bank of America, BMW Manufacturing, Bridgestone, Comcast, Datum Software, Delta Air Lines, Division 9 Commercial, Inc., Exhibits South, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Georgia Power, GMI Group, Grady Health System, Graphic Packaging, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, InfoMart, Ingersoll Rand, JE Dunn, McKesson Corporation, Porsche USA, PS Energy Group, Randstad, Secondary Solutions, Softpath System, Sonoco, SunTrust, Synovus, The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, Trusted Counsel, UPS, WeFresh, Wells Fargo and WestRock.

For more information and to register for the conference visit: gwbc.org/pop-marketplace/

ABOUT THE GREATER WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL, INC.

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a nonprofit organization providing nationally-recognized certification through Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), innovative programming and value-driven events customized to the unique needs of women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of over 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org.

Contact:
Diane Silver
diane.silver@thecraftongroup.com
404-626-4845

2019 TOP

ATLANTA – May 1, 2019 – The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC), the largest provider of certification and development resources for women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, announced nine corporations selected as its 2019 TOP Corporations of the Year.

These corporate partners, who have demonstrated a passion for inspiring, engaging, empowering and furthering the success of women-owned businesses, were recognized at a celebratory luncheon on April 30 at The St. Regis Atlanta. 

GWBC’s 2019 TOP Corporations of the Year for Women’s Business Enterprises are:

  • Accenture
  • AT&T
  • The Coca-Cola Company
  • Georgia Power
  • Randstad USA
  • SunTrust 
  • UPS
  • Wells Fargo
  • WestRock

“The success and growth of women-owned businesses in our country in recent years has been extraordinary and we’re grateful to our corporate partners who have helped make this possible. That’s why we’re honored to showcase these “best in class innovators” in supplier diversity and procurement as our annual TOP Corporations of the Year,” said Roz Lewis, president & CEO of GWBC.

“To help put the impact of women-owned businesses in perspective, consider this from a recent American Express women-owned business study: Four out of every 10 businesses in the U.S. are now women-owned, generating a total of $1.8 trillion in revenue,” added Lewis.

According to the “2018 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report” commissioned by American Express, an in-depth analysis of the period 2007-2018 showed that overall growth in women-owned businesses has continued unabated for the last 11 years:

  • The number of women-owned businesses surged 58 percent, while all businesses increased only 12 percent
  • Total employment by women-owned businesses rose 21 percent, while for all businesses it declined 0.8 percent
  • Total revenue of women-owned businesses jumped 46 percent, while revenue for all businesses increased 36 percent

GWBC partners with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The power of these partnerships can be seen through the numbers: GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs that staff more than 51,000 employees and generate more than $9.3 billion in revenue.

GWBC’s TOP Corporations of the Year Awards is unique in that each corporate honoree’s award is presented through a real-world testimony of a WBE partner whose business has been directly impacted by their support.  Judged by a panel of WBEs, criteria for the GWBC TOP Corporations of the Year awards include corporations that are members of the organization; have a dedicated supplier diversity program serving Georgia and the Carolinas; meet and exceed spend goals with WBEs; and actively participate in educational and development activities with WBEs in the region.

WBEs who presented at this year’s TOP Corporations Awards are: ASAP Solutions Group for Accenture, Prosys Information Systems for AT&T, Ultimate Model Management, Inc. for The Coca-Cola Company, Customer Focused Strategies for Georgia Power, Primus Software Corporation for Randstad USA, Exhibits South for SunTrust, Avacend, Inc. for UPS, Innolect, Inc. for Wells Fargo, and Interprint Communications for WestRock.

For more information on GWBC visit www.gwbc.org.

ABOUT THE GREATER WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL, INC.

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides nationally-recognized certification through its Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) network, innovative programming and value-driven events customized to the unique needs of women business owners (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a satellite office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org.

Contact:
Diane Silver
diane.silver@thecraftongroup.com
404-626-4845

Board of Directors Press Release

ATLANTA, June 5, 2019 – The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC) announced the appointment of Deborah Mackins, Supplier Diversity and Business Development, Georgia Power, as new board chair. Additionally, there are 20 members who are a part of the 2019 board roster.

“It’s my honor and privilege to introduce Deborah Mackins as the new board chair for the Greater Women’s Business Council,” said Roz Lewis, GWBC president. “Deb has served on our board for three years and has a mantra for our women business enterprises, ‘Don’t just get certified, get involved.’ Deborah certainly lives by these words and we welcome her as our 2019 - 2020 board chair.”

Mackins joined Georgia Power’s supplier diversity and development team in 2011.  She brings over 20 years of supply chain management and supplier diversity experience to the GWBC Board.

Mackins is the Georgia Power liaison to the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), Georgia Black Constructors Association (GBCA) and several business groups supporting Veteran-Owned Businesses.

2019 GWBC Board Members are:

Officers:

  • Deborah Mackins, Chair, Georgia Power
  • Lissa J. Miller, 1st Vice Chair, SunTrust Bank
  • Tina Stevens, 2nd Vice Chair, Secondary Solutions
  • Stephanie Pulliam Secretary, AT&T
  • Livia Whisenhunt, Treasurer, PS Energy Group
  • Dwan H. Armstrong, Parliamentarian, The Clorox Company

Directors-at-large:

  • Sesley Brown, Accenture
  • William “Bill” Haley, Aflac
  • Nancy Williams, ASAP Solutions Group, LLC & WeFresh, LLC
  • Louise Connell, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
  • Patrick Dierberger, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
  • Kayla Dang, GMI Group, Inc.
  • Sheila Jordan, Knowledge Architects, LLC
  • Anne Marsden, Marsden Marketing
  • Sushumna Roy Jalajam, Softpath System
  • Debra White, Sonoco
  • Tameka Harper, The Coca-Cola Company
  • Evelyn Ashley, Trusted Counsel
  • Kathleen Marran, UPS
  • Tai A. Roberson, Wells Fargo
  • Susie Galyardt, XIOSS

ABOUT THE GREATER WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL, INC.

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides nationally-recognized certification through its Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) network, innovative programming and value-driven events customized to the unique needs of women business owners (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a satellite office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org.

Contact:
Diane Silver
diane.silver@thecraftongroup.com
404-626-4845

2019 POP, Too!

Meridith Elliott Powell named keynote speaker for 5th Annual POP, Too!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – February 28, 2019– The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), the leading provider of certification and development resources for women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina,  is hosting its annual Power of Partnering (POP, Too!) conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 21.

POP, Too! is GWBC’s Carolina based companion to the annual flagship POP Marketplace event held in Atlanta, Georgia. During this one-day conference, women business enterprises (WBEs) and procurement professionals interact with each other to promote growth opportunities and enhance business relationships.

Meridith Elliott Powell, award-winning author, speaker and business strategist, will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s POP, Too! event. Voted one of the Top 15 Business Growth Experts to watch by Currency Fair, Powell also is the author of four books, including Winning In The Trust & Value Economy (a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards) and her latest Own It: Redefining Responsibility – Stories of Power, Freedom & Purpose.

“Meridith knows what it takes to succeed as a woman in business, how to take action and get results,” said Roz Lewis, GWBC president and CEO. “We’re delighted to have her as our keynote this year. We encourage all women who are interested in taking their personal and company brand to the next level to attend this event.”

Powell’s keynote at POP, Too! will help women business leaders learn today’s new rules of success and what they can do to “up their game” to win in a relationship-based economy.

Attendees of POP, Too! can also attend various educational workshops, including:

  • Perfecting the Process – Do you know if your business could benefit from Six Sigma? Speaker: Larry Edwards Six Sigma Black Belt, Chair ASQ Charlotte
  • Controlled Communications – Legal communication advice. Speaker: Eartha Jean Johnson, Esq and CEO, Risk Mitigation Worldwide
  • Impact of Advisors and Mentors – How/when to seek a mentor or create an advisory board. Speakers: Patrick Dierberger, Asst. VP Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Evelyn Ashley, Trusted Council, LLC, Invited WBE  
  • Return on Investment (ROI) Time versus Money – Understand what your time is worth. Speaker: Dr. Anandi Banerjee, Assistant Professor of Finance, McColl School of Business, Queens University of Charlotte
  • WBE Business Pitch – Women business leaders pitch to an audience of corporate buyers and savvy women business owners and entrepreneurs.

Sponsors of POP, Too! Include: Novant Health, Georgia Power, Accenture, BMW Group, Exhibits South, Sonoco, Aflac, The Clorox Company, Delta Air Lines, InfoMart, WestRock, AT&T, and Bank of America.

The 5th annual POP, Too! Conference will be held at the Harris Conference Center in Charlotte. For more information and to register visit https://gwbc.org/pop-too/.

ABOUT THE GREATER WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL, INC.

The Greater Women’s Business Council, Inc. (GWBC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides nationally-recognized certification through its Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) network, innovative programming and value-driven events customized to the unique needs of women business owners (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a satellite office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org.

Contact:
Diane Silver
diane.silver@thecraftongroup.com
404-626-4845