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Women’s
Business Development
Center (WBDC)
Join Hedy Ratner,
Co-Founder,
Women’s Business Development Center, and Pat Lynch on
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Name of Organization: Women’s
Business Development Center (WBDC)
Website:
www.wbdc.org
Field: Women’s Small Business Development
Date Founded: 1986
Founder: Hedy M. Ratner & S. Carol Dougal
Executive Director: Hedy M.
Ratner & S. Carol Dougal
Location/Level: 8 S. Michigan Avenue, 4th
Floor, Chicago, IL 60603 The WBDC also has a satellite office,
established in 2003, in Minneapolis, MN.
Contact Information:
Danae Kovac, Manager of Marketing & Special Projects
312-853-3477 x.47;
dkovac@wbdc.org
Message from the Executive Director
N/A
How many Members?
The WBDC is not a membership organization.
However, since its founding this organization has served over
60,000 women looking to start or expand their business. WBDC
also certifies over 1,200 Women’s Business Enterprises each year
in a nine state Midwestern region.
Mission Statement
The mission of the WBDC is to provide services and programs that
support and accelerate women’s business ownership and strengthen
their impact on the economy.
Why was your organization launched?
To promote economic independence and empowerment of women
through business ownership.
What are the organization’s goals for
this year?
-
To accelerate the
rate of growth of women’s businesses and microenterprise
ownership
-
To increase the economic impact of
women-owned businesses on both families and communities
-
To increase awareness of business
ownership as a viable means of economic self-sufficiency
-
To stimulate public policy and
system changes which support and strengthen the economic
impact of women
Programs/Initiatives to achieve those
goals
-
Entrepreneurial training workshops and
seminars
-
Personalized business and finance
counseling
-
Procurement technical assistance
-
Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE)
certification through partnership with the Women’s Business
Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
-
Advocacy on behalf of women business
owners to create change
Favorite Holidays/Special Dates
Annual Major Events
The Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference, the
oldest conference and business opportunities fair for women in business in
the country, and the premier event for women business owners in the Midwest
is presented each fall by the WBDC. Participants include more than 2,300
prospective, emerging and established business owners, and over 300
procurement decision-makers from both the public and private sector. This
event provides women business owners with procurement, educational,
networking and marketing opportunities to help them develop, grow and
success in business.
The 24th Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s
Conference will be held September 22, 2010 at McCormick Place-West in
Chicago.
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