The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is an organization in the United States founded in 1975 that has the purpose of networking the approximately 10.6 million women-owned businesses so as to provide mutual support, share resources, and provide a single voice to help shape economic and public policy. As of 2007, the president of the organization is Lisa Kaiser Hickey of Lakeland, Florida.
History
According to its official timeline, NAWBO was founded in 1975 by a group of like-minded businesswomen in Washington D.C. area. It was incorporated as the Association of Women Business Owners (AWBO) before evolving to its current name.
In 1982, NAWBO held its first conference in Houston, Texas. Its first National Public Affairs Day saw the attendance of then-US Vice President George H. W. Bush and nine members of the U.S. Congress. Eight years later, it moved its headquarters from Chicago to Silver Spring, Maryland.
NAWBO has chapters in all 50 states, including several chapters in a single state, such as Illinois and California.
Remarkable Woman Award
NAWBO presents the annual Remarkable Woman Award. The first award was given out in 1996 to women who contributed time and talent to their organization and community.
Members
Charlotte chapter
President: Marise Kumar, C2B Strategies
Brenda Harris, BPN Healthcare Concepts
Carolina Aponte, Caja Holdings LLC
Vilma Betancourt-O'Day, Carol Bondy, Center for the Healing Arts, LLC Lauren Cantor, The Entrepreneuers Source Mindy Hinson, M3 Real Estate Group Laurie Johnson, Financial Therapist Suzy Johnson, Employer Benefit Advisors of the Carolinas, LLC Melinda McVadon, McLynn Group Donna North, McLynn Group Elaine Piraneo, Accubill/Tele-Vantage Inc Stacey Randall, Growth By Referrals Pam Secrest, Pentagon Group Michelle Smith, MBS Custom Business Solutions, LLC
New Orleans chapter
President: Shelly Grimm-Latino, LUTCF - Pinnacle Financial Strategies
Tonia D. Aiken - Breezzangel, LLC
Jennifer F. Brimm - Foster-Brimm Consulting
Miriam Browns - Browns Tax Services, Inc. Georgia Collier-Bolling Deanna Causey - Sankofa Record Retrieval, LLC Elizabeth "Dee" Clubb - Omni Advertising McKenzie Coco - FSC Interactive Myra L. Corrello - Find Your Spice Seminars, LLC Sheila M. Craft - OfficeLink LC and FileLink Nicole Dennis - XOCOMP, LLC Patricia R Hightower CEO - Bayouequity Mortgage Terri Hogan Dreyer - Nano, LLC Robin G. Kaplan - Inn The Quarter, LLC Teresa Lawrence - Delta Personnel, Inc. Barbara Ann Locklear - Hotel Storyville Ashley Machen - Treasure Travel, LLC Martha Madden - M Madden Associates, LLC Tina Dandry-Mayes, CLU, ChFC, CLTC - NYLIFE Securities, LLC/ New York Cheryl Meral - MCS Software, LLC Brenda Prudhomme - K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen Jessica Rareshide CPC CSP - Rare insight, LLC Gina N. Ruttley -Ericksen, Krentel, &LaPorte, LLC Jeffrie Schultis Fricke - Paramount Shows Janet Fabre Smith - Fabre Smith & Co. Dorothy L Tarver - Taggart Morton, LLC Judy Weitz - Compucast Web, Inc, Melissa Mitchel Willis - Mary Kay Cosmetics Trevor Wisdom - Wisdom & Witticisms, LLC