FEATURES

WBC CEO, Edie Fraser joins WBC Board member and CEO, CEO Forum, Robert Reiss to discuss the origins of WBC and Edie's vision for the future. 

"We started by thinking big. What if we could build a collaboration of women business organizations and together drive change? What if we could become a movement to advance and accelerate business women as senior executives, as successful entrepreneurs and board members as well as venture capitalists? The thought – and challenge – was so exciting to me, and the truth is it is much needed. We need to change the way C-suites and boardrooms look, and that change is long past due. We devised WBC to be a movement and an accelerator of change because we know the importance of diversity." –Edie Fraser

Read the full interview starting on page 74 here!

LINK: https://www.forbes.com/sites/committeeof200/2020/10/27/women-ceos-in-america–a-story-of-progress-and-opportunity/?sh=5e80095e36d7 By Kimber Maderazzo, former executive vice president and general manager of Proactiv, executive chairperson of C200 and member since 2010, board member at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, and founder

Edie Fraser, CEO of Women Business Collaborative in Washington, DC, honored by NAWBO with the 2020 Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award – Named After NAWBO's 1987-'88 President
and Honoring Contributions to the Status and Visibility of Women-Owned Firms.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) was proud to honor several trailblazing women business owners during its Virtual National Women's Business Conference (WBC2020) Awards Gala on Wednesday evening, September 23rd.

"Our NAWBO community is brimming with women who are deeply deserving of honors," says Cristina Morales Heaney, 2020-2021 Chair of the NAWBO National Board. "These four women really stood out in 2020 for their overall business excellence; for the legacy of women's entrepreneurship they have created for future generations; for their contributions to the status and visibility of women-owned businesses; and for their 'give-back' attitude and servant focus."

"One of my favorite parts of the conference is honoring our Woman Business Owner of the Year," adds Jill Calabrese Bain, Managing Director, Internal and Corporate Communications, Bank of America, WBC2020's presenting sponsor and sponsor of this preeminent NAWBO award. "This award is not just based on business size, but rewards an entrepreneur who excels at strategy, operations, finances, problem-solving, overcoming adversity and giving back to her community—all aspects of business ownership that are more critical than ever."

NAWBO celebrates the following 2020 NAWBO award recipients:

2020 Woman Business Owner of the Year Award – Sponsored by Bank of America
and Recognizing Overall Business Excellence

Rebecca Fyffe
Rebecca is CEO and director of research of Landmark Pest Management in Illinois, as well as a subject matter expert on policies and programs designed to enable women and minorities to capture a representative share of economic opportunities in corporate and government procurement and contracting.

2020 Susan Hager Legacy Award – Named After NAWBO's Founding President and Honoring Advocacy and Action

Phyllis Hill Slater
Phyllis is a devoted and celebrated business advocate. For over 40 years, she served as president and CEO of the highly successful New-York-based engineering and architectural support firm Hill Slater Group. She currently is a sought-after speaker and provides strategic business consulting and professional development coaching services.

2020 Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award – Named After NAWBO's 1987-'88 President
and Honoring Contributions to the Status and Visibility of Women-Owned Firms

Edie Fraser
Edie is CEO of Women Business Collaborative in Washington, DC, with a powerful vision: equal position, pay and power for all businesswomen. It engages businesswomen's organization partners and stakeholders to accelerate the advancement of businesswomen. She is managing director of Diversified Search and was founder and CEO of STEMconnector and Million Women Mentors.

2020 Dr. Tererai Trent Award – Named After Dr. Trent and Recognizing a Voice Toward Equality, 'Give-Back' Attitude and Servant Focus

Tammy Renee Butler
Tammy is owner and managing principal of Engaging Solutions in Indiana, where she has successfully managed the company's call center business and co-managed the firm's planning and community outreach sector. She is a proven leader in housing and community development with a deep commitment to improving communities and the lives of women.

Read the full release here.

WBC Board Member Robert Reiss discusses the August WBC CEO Roundtable event in his latest Forbes article. Read an excerpt below.

On August 26, 2020 Becky Shambaugh and I moderated Women Business Collaborative (WBC) CEO Roundtable to discuss leadership and equity for women. Edie Fraser, CEO, WBC kicked off the event, “Today is Women’s Equality Day, with 2020 marking 100 years since women getting the right to vote.”

The panelists were:

• Lt. General Nadja West, recent Surgeon General, US Army
• Greg Adams, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente
• Caroline Feeney, CEO, Individual Solutions, Prudential Financial

Read the full article on Forbes here.

WBC Board Member Robert Reiss discusses the June WBC CEO Roundtable event in his latest Forbes article. Read an excerpt below.

I just read an inspiring article, “Are you willing to give up your privilege?” by Darren Walker, President of Ford Foundation, where he said something that completely resonated with me, “This feels like 1918, 1932, and 1968 all at once.” So true!

My belief is that these unprecedented times make it impossible to go backwards; we must propel forward … and if we do it right we can emerge with people individually and collectively being free and fulfilled; eradication of systemic racism once and for all; an equitable society; a thriving economy; enlightened corporate citizenship through conscious capitalism, and healthy citizens post-pandemic (of course, we can achieve the first items, however, the last will require a vaccine). All we have to do is change everything simultaneously by creating a new model. It’s that easy; and it’s that hard.

To prime the pump in thinking through the future model, on June 18, 2020 my co-host Becky Shambaugh and I interviewed five CEOs from: Rite Aid, United Way, JetBlue, Shipt, and kathy ireland Worldwide at the Women Business Collaborative CEO Roundtable…

Read the full article on Forbes here.

WBC Founder and CEO, Edie Fraser wrote a piece about Racial Justice, Equality and Action in the Summer Issue of CEO Forum Magazine

"CEO public condemnation of racism has been at the bare minimum – until now. CEOs as accountable leaders are embracing activism for racial justice in their companies and communities and making action commitments. CEOs in response to the death of George Floyd, faced with the reality of racial inequality, acknowledge that the deeply rooted issues of racism must be addressed.

Historically, the private sector may have contributed to systemic inequality, failing to hire and promote black men and women within their own companies, especially in the C-Suite and board rooms; now they are tearing down prejudices and working to support talent and communities in need. Among the widespread support for racial justice from the top CEOs, there is a growing consensus that more must be done now.

Responsible CEOs know delivering results is more than sales and profits. Action makes the bottom line better and the workforce and customers proud. CEOs expect brands to equate equity value and racial pride."

Read the full piece on page 118 here.