Entrepreneur and Tennis Great Venus Williams, Apple Inc. VP Lisa Jackson Among Women of Power Headliners

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BLACK ENTERPRISE (BE) will present world-class achievers from the worlds of sports, business and corporate America, including tennis great and entrepreneur Venus Williams, as headliners for the 2014 Women of Power Summit in Boca Raton, Fla. The Women of Power Summit is the nation's No. 1 executive development and leadership conference for women of color, annually attracting more than 800 corporate executives, professionals and businesswomen from across the country. The Women of Power Summit, hosted by State Farm Insurance, will take place February 26-March 1, 2014 at the Boca Raton Resort and Club.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110627/NY26810LOGO)

Williams, who along with her sister Serena has ruled the world of professional tennis for more than a decade, is also an accomplished entrepreneur. Growing up in a tight-knit family and coached by her parents Richard and Oracene, Williams entered the pro ranks of the Women's Tennis Association when she was 14 years old. Her attacking style and impressive physicality immediately caught the attention of the tennis world. Soon, the whole world was watching Williams rack up 43 WTA Tour titles, three Olympic Gold medals, break the record for fastest serve ever recorded (129 mph) and compete in the longest finals match in Wimbledon history (two hours and 45 minutes). Along the way, she has proven to be far more than just a world-class athlete, adding best-selling author, fashion designer and entrepreneur to her many accomplishments. Her businesses include, V*STARR and EleVen.

Other featured headliners of the 2014 Women of Power Summit include iconic civil rights activist and former NAACP Chairperson, Myrlie Evers-Williams; Apple Inc. Environmental Initiatives VP and former White House Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Lisa Jackson; and Linda Johnson-Rice and Desiree Rogers, chairperson and CEO, respectively, of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. In addition, 8-time Grammy-nominated R&B artist Tank is set to perform at the annual Women of Power Concert & Dinner on the final evening of the Summit.

"Each year, we select featured headliners for our Women of Power Summit who will deliver powerful messages and practical strategies to further inspire attendees to excellence in leadership," says BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl "Butch" Graves Jr. "We fully expect Venus Williams, Lisa Jackson and our other outstanding speakers to build on that tradition."

"Our candid, one-on-one conversations with women who have excelled in every area of endeavor are a unique feature of the Women of Power Summit each year," says Black Enterprise Editorial Director Sonia Alleyne who, along with Black Enterprise Business Report television show Host Caroline Clarke, serves as a co-editorial director of the Women of Power Summit. "Our attendees will leave with the motivation and direction they need to embrace their power in their own professions, companies and lives."

Following the Women of Power Legacy Awards Dinner, more than 800 corporate and business women will engage in two immersive days of professional development sessions and activities designed to train, equip and encourage industry leadership, career strategies and effective peak-performance, as well as work-life balance techniques. Topics will include positioning for corporate boards recruitment, identifying and securing a top-notch career advancement team, driving organizational innovation and managing social media as a tool for professional advancement. Confirmed speakers include: Niara Consulting CEO, Jodi Brockington; Lardon & Associates Managing Director, Donna James; State Farm Vice President of Human Resources, Annette R. Martinez; Gilead Sciences Inc. SVP and Chief Financial Officer, Robin Washington; Author and Former Girls Inc. President and CEO, Joyce Roche; AARP Multicultural Markets VP, Edna Kane-Williams; JP Morgan Chase Managing Director, Valerie Rainford; Spencer Stuart Partner, Sharon Hall; Spelman College President, Beverly Daniels Tatum; Pepsico SVP and Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Pamela Culpepper; Comcast Community Investment VP & Foundation President, Charisse R. Lillie; and Bank of America SVP of Diversity & Inclusion/Leadership, Development Cynthia H. Bowman.

The host sponsor of the Women of Power Summit is State Farm Insurance. Presenting sponsors include Comcast NBC Universal, EMC, Gatorade, Lays, Lincoln Motor Company, Pepsi, Quaker, Tropicana and Walmart. Platinum sponsors include Abbott Vascular, FedEx, Hilton Worldwide, Intel and Macy's. Corporate sponsors include PepsiCo, Bank of America and Southwest Airlines.

For more information on the speakers and agenda of the 2014 Women of Power Summit, go to BlackEnterprise.com/wps. Also, for updates via Twitter and other social media sites, check the hash tags #BEWomenofPower and #BEWPS.

BlackEnterprise.com is the leading website for Money, Small Business and Career development. Providing executive and entrepreneurial resources, information, and profiles on the topics of money management, employment, career and start-up development, BlackEnterprise.com features expert resource articles, original video packages, and blogs, customized to empower its niche audience while consistently providing universal resource-value.

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source to build Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 4 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media.

SOURCE Black Enterprise