Great Lakes WBC founder, a pioneer in providing loans and resources to underserved entrepreneurs
Great Lakes WBC wins national awards, and celebrates 40 years developing underserved businesses:
This successful support is why The Great Lakes Women’s Business Council counts down to its 40th anniversary by being acknowledged with three prestigious awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration. In a clean sweep, the Great Lakes WBC has been named the Michigan Women’s Business Center of Excellence, the Regional Women’s Business Center of Excellence, and at a ceremony held in Washington D.C., they were named the National Women’s Business Center of the Year.
40th Anniversary Conference: From Monday, Sept. 23 to Wednesday, Sept. 25, the organization will hold the 24th annual Great Lakes WBC Conference, with networking, business development resources, and a major Supplier Diversity & Awards luncheon, at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi, Michigan.
Conference attendees will learn from these industry experts, hear firsthand from leading women business owners, and network with executives from major corporate members of Great Lakes WBC. In addition to speakers, networking and coaching labs, programming includes educational presentations and technical skills-building workshops.
40th Anniversary Dinner: The three SBA awards, lauding the agency’s excellent service to entrepreneurs who seek their assistance, will be highlighted at the 40th Anniversary Celebration Dinner to be held Monday, Sept. 23,from 5-8 p.m., at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi, Michigan.
Specific development programs include: LaunchU which helps aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their visions into reality, an initiative of the Council’s Women’s Business Center. CEED Lending makes microloans available. MentorWe which pairs certified women business owners in an industry/sector-specific cohort with an established woman business owner in the same field.
Other programs offered at the Conference include WEMatch for select qualified and certified women-owned suppliers to meet one-on-one with corporate member partners to discuss business opportunities; and the WEPitch competition where winners will be coached as they move forward to the national competition.
About the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council – www.greatlakeswbc.org
The Great Lakes Women’s Business Council is a nonprofit organization representing more than 1,400 Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified women’s business enterprises, generating approximately $8.6 billion in annual revenue and employing 48,000 U.S. workers, as well as 90+ corporate partners in a diverse range of industry sectors. Great Lakes WBC provided $8 million in loans to small business owners who have created some 1,800 jobs. Through the Michigan Women’s Marketplace and in-person sessions, the organization has trained more than 15,000 business owners and entrepreneurs.
