This June, women-owned businesses will have an exciting opportunity to network and learn at the Women's Business Enterprise National Council's (WBENC) Women in Business 2010: The Opportunity Connection.
The 11th annual National Conference and Business Fair will be held June 22-24 in Baltimore, Maryland, and will offer attendees a chance to learn about the opportunities available to them as women-owned businesses.
During the conference, women-owned businesses, including WBENC-certified and LBT-owned businesses, will hear from respected keynote speakers including top executives from major corporations and talented women business owners, and participate in workshops related to each attendee's specific needs and interests.
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® (NGLCC) and WBENC established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2007, and have since been working closely to enhance opportunities for women-owned and LBT-owned businesses. The partnership has also allowed LBT-owned businesses that are WBENC-certified to submit their certification in good standing, along with other LGBT status qualifiers, to attain their NGLCC certification and facilitate the process.
"As an organizational ally and MOU partner of the NGLCC, WBENC is excited to invite women-owned business members of the NGLCC to join us in Baltimore on June 22-24 for the 2010 Women in Business National Conference and Business Fair," said Linda Denny, WBENC president and CEO. "The conference will provide excellent networking opportunities, including our Business Fair on June 23, and will present engaging speakers and educational workshops for all attendees."
Workshop tracks include a corporate track, health care for small businesses, government procurement and global business.
Attendees can also browse through the nation's largest business fair for women, where more than 300 exhibitors will be present. It includes industry leaders in energy, retail, transportation, telecommunications, finance and consumer packaging from Fortune 1000 companies, the nation's leading Women's Business Enterprises (WBE) and federal agencies.
During the conference's networking events, attendees will have a chance to meet face-to-face with WBENC corporate members—many of which are also corporate partners of the NGLCC—and purchasing executives.
The WBE-to-WBE networking events will allow attendees to meet with established women business owners for valuable insight, meet new WBEs and connect with potential suppliers for their own businesses.
Corporate attendees can engage in corporate-to-corporate networking events, where they can learn more about how corporations have increased profitability and simplified the purchasing process while creating unparalleled opportunities for women business owners.
"This is an exciting opportunity for LBT business owners and entrepreneurs to make connections with other women-owned businesses," said Victoria Fulkerson, NGLCC's director of supplier diversity and corporate relations. "The NGLCC applauds WBENC for its pioneering work to elevate women-owned businesses and to assist them in securing contracts with the nation's most prestigious corporate citizens."
To learn more about the event, visit the conference page here, or register for the event here.
