WPEO Celebrates Significant Increase In Number Of Contracts With Women Business Owners

NEW YORK, March 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) today announced significant accolades at the Annual Awards breakfast, reflecting singular accomplishments by a dynamic community of certified women-owned businesses and companies with which they do business. This year's theme focuses on Women's Leadership in the New Decade (#WPEOWomensLeadership). Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley, was the keynote speaker.

Being certified as a woman-owned diverse supplier can open previously inaccessible business opportunities. Many Fortune 1000 corporations in the U.S. require WBENC certification before granting woman-owned businesses access to their supplier diversity programs. WPEO, as a regional partner organization of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), facilitates the certification process. Companies must be at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by women. Further, women must have unrestricted control of the business, while the highest defined title in the company's legal documents must be held by a woman. Once you're certified, WPEO works to ensure each business reaps the benefits and helps its Corporate Members tap into a pool of high caliber vendors

The 2020 WPEO awardees are all located in two Northeast regions – WPEO-NY (New York State, Northern and Central New Jersey -- through Trenton -- and counties on the Southern Connecticut shoreline – including Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London) and WPEO-DC (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia).

Winners of the Outstanding Corporation Awards meet stringent criteria. This includes significant accomplishments in support of WPEO women's business enterprises and the women's business community. Advocate awardees are selected based on significant involvement with WPEO and support of women-owned businesses. The President's Award winners, selected by WPEO President & Founder Dr. Marsha Firestone and Sandra Eberhard, Executive Director, WPEODC, have gone above and beyond in their service to the WPEO.

The 2020 award winners include:

"The success of our Supplier Diversity Program continues to be attributable to our ability to adapt to the company's annual objectives and the industry's emerging trends and the consistent support of the CEO, board of directors, and executive management. It's extremely satisfying to be recognized for our long-standing commitment to the Women Presidents' Educational Organization and the value that our program delivers to diverse suppliers," said Joy Wong, Corporate Vice President, Supplier Diversity, New York Life Insurance Company.

"The huge increase in the number of people who applied for WPEO awards this year demonstrates the increasing importance that certification has to a variety of constituencies. The women-owned businesses are looking for greater access to contracting opportunities that certification offers and corporations who prioritize diversity as part of their business strategies," said Eliseo T. Rojas, WPEO Board Chair and CEO Founder, ETR Business Solutions.

"Many of the region's top corporations are WPEO Corporate Members and committed to doing business with certified WBEs. We help them make valuable connections with businesses owned by women," said WPEO President & Founder Dr. Marsha Firestone.

Sponsors for the 2020 Awards Breakfast include:

PLATINUM SPONSORS

• AMPCUS
• CAPITAL ONE

DIAMOND SPONSORS

• AARP
• AVIS BUDGET GROUP
• DOMINION ENERGY
• MICROSOFT

CORPORATE LEAD SPONSORS 

• AIG
• BANK OF AMERICA
• CON EDISON 
• MORGAN STANLEY

WBE LEAD SPONSORS

• ADCO ELECTRICAL CORPORATION
• BASELINE GROUP NY
• BLANK2BRANDED
• GLEN EAGLE ADVISORS
• HIGHROAD PRESS
• PROGRESSIVE PROMOTIONS
• RAARE SOLUTIONS
• STRATFORD SOLUTIONS

About the Women President's Educational Organization
The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) is a regional affiliate of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's premier third-party certification organization for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs). The mission of the WPEO is to create increased access to business opportunities for WBEs. Its programs develop skills and knowledge for WBEs, advocate in the public and private sectors, foster relationships between WBEs, corporations and the government, and provide full service, third-party certification to women entrepreneurs in areas that include New York, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. WPEO is incorporated in the state of New York and is recognized as a 501(c) (3) organization. For more information please visit www.wpeo.us  or call (212) 688-4114. Follow us on Twitter @WPEONYDC. Like us on Facebook @TheWPEO.

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SOURCE Women Presidents' Educational Organization