(San Diego, CA, August 3, 2008) — The National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®) is proud to present the inaugural Hall of Fame Award to four of the most dynamic and significant women business owners in California. Each honoree is a trailblazer in her own right and they collectively reflect the legacy of power and success of the women’s business community at large.
As the only dues-based organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries with more than 6,000 members and 65 chapters, NAWBO®’s reach includes tens of thousands of accomplished businesswomen with incredible success stories. That makes the four women business owners who will be recognized at the Women’s Business Conference—August 31-September 1 at San Diego’s Manchester Grand Hyatt—truly exceptional. The 2011 NAWBO® Hall of Fame honorees include:
Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO, ACT-1 Group: A company that provides staffing solutions for corporations across the U.S. Founded in 1978 with an initial investment of $1,500, a telephone and a small lease space, her company is now the largest certified woman minority-owned staffing company in the United States and is worth more than $500 million. act-1.com
Koni Kim, President and CEO, Koni Corporation: A leading woman-owned supplier of soft goods to the hospitality industry headed by a design legend. Women Presidents’ Organization and Entrepreneur Magazine named Koni Corporation No. 2 of the Top 50 fastest-growing women-owned/women-led, privately owned businesses in the U.S. and Canada. konicorp.com
Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, Founder & CEO, Lulu’s Dessert Corporation: A native of Mexico City, de Lourdes Sobrino revolutionized the food industry by creating the first-ever ready-to-eat gelatin category based on her mother’s recipe. Lulu’s Dessert is now ranked among the top 500 Hispanic Businesses in the United States. lulusdessert.com
Lynda Weinman, Co-Founder, lynda.com: A leading online instructional video service that teaches technology and design skills to hundreds of thousands of people through individual memberships or site licenses to businesses and universities. The company was listed as the No. 12 fastest growing education company in America in Inc. magazine’s 5,000 List. lynda.com
“With this year’s conference being held in California, we selected top California-based women entrepreneurs who not only reflect the rich diversity of the No. 1 entrepreneurial state in our nation, but each one of them is a quintessential woman entrepreneur who strives for excellence in everything she does and is committed to giving back to her community,” says NAWBO® President and CEO Helen Han. “Through continuing to induct extraordinary women into the NAWBO® Hall of Fame, we hope to celebrate the rising power of women business owners and the growing impact of their leadership in the economic blueprint of our country.”
The NAWBO® Hall of Fame Awards will be formally presented on Thursday, September 1 at the Women’s Business Conference. Honorees will accept their awards at the Closing Dinner & Awards Ceremony and will share their individual success stories in a moderated panel discussion. A pre-dinner wine tasting reception sponsored by women wineries of Napa Valley and a special tribute by poet performer Azure Antoinette will be some of the evening’s highlights.
“More than any other time in history, the time is now for women-owned businesses to access new opportunities, influence the future and grow their businesses to help fuel the economy and create new jobs,” says NAWBO® National Chair, Evelyn Strange, President of Advanced Electric Systems, Louisville, KY. “NAWBO® is proud to induct this year’s Hall of Fame Awards honorees who are leading the way.”
Other NAWBO® Women’s Business Conference highlights include the Taste of California Sparkling Reception with San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, keynotes by Cindy Solomon and Gail Blanke, breakout sessions with industry experts and notable women leaders and an interactive Business Pavilion Marketplace & Expo featuring expert roundtables, procurement roundtables, interactive workshops and dozens of exhibitors—all designed to take women-owned businesses to the next level of success. View the complete agenda here
Get up-to-the-minute conference updates at NAWBO® National on Facebook and #NAWBOWBC on Twitter.
About NAWBO®
Founded in 1975, the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide by: strengthening the wealth creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community; creating innovative and effective change in the business culture; building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations; and transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers. Learn more at www.nawbo.org.
Media Contact:
Christina Jorgensen
Drizen-Dohs Corporate Communications
(818) 772-9555, ext. 103
[email protected]