WPEO Honors Women-owned Businesses And Corporate Members With Done Deals™ Awards

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The winners of the 2014  Done Deals^™ Challenge, representing contracts completed between the New York region's certified Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) and corporate members, were announced today at the Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) thirteenth annual Breakthrough Breakfast.

A total of 27,452 contracts were completed during the Challenge period (April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014). WPEO corporate members have reported significant increases in the amount spent with Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified suppliers since the previous Challenge period. Obtaining WBENC certification, the most widely-recognized and respected third-party certification that a woman-owned business can attain, can provide previously inaccessible business opportunities for WBEs. In fact, the vast majority of Fortune 1000 corporations require WBENC certification before granting women-owned businesses access to their supplier diversity programs.

Held for the first time in 2005, the Done Deals^™ Challenge measures, acknowledges and recognizes the impact that WPEO has had on significantly increasing business opportunities in contracting activity. Awards criteria include the highest number, dollar amount or cumulative value of deals reported.

Once submitted to WPEO via its website and approved, a Done Deal^™ is proof of the successful contracting and business opportunities that can result from being a WBENC-certified WBE or a corporate member. WPEO corporate members often find ideal vendors and suppliers among certified WBEs, and WBEs frequently identify opportunities to do business with each other.

"For the past fifteen years, providing more business opportunities for certified WBEs is one of the primary ways in which WPEO puts our mission into action.  Today we have nearly 1,200 certified WBEs, representing aggregate revenue of $10 Billion. Our Done Deals^™ Challenge enables us to measure the impact our organization has had, in bottom-line terms, on increasing business opportunities and contracting activity," said Dr. Marsha Firestone, WPEO Founder and President.

The 2014 Done Deals^™ Award Winners are:

• Time Warner – Corporate Opportunity Award
  • Corporate Member that submits the most Done Deals^™ with WPEO-certified WBEs
• IBM – Corporate Champion Award
  • Corporate Member that submits the highest cumulative value of Done Deals^™ with WPEO-certified WBEs
• cSubs – WBE Connection Award
  • WBE that reports the most Done Deals^™ with other WPEO- certified WBEs
• Coranet – WBE Done Deals Champion Award
  • WPEO Certified WBE that reports the largest number of Done Deals^™ with WPEO Corporate Members
• Coranet – Access New York City Award
  • WPEO-certified WBE that submits the most Done Deals^™ with the City of New York

WPEO Board Chair Eliseo Rojas, Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer for The Interpublic Group, said, "Global brands are recognizing the strong potential for supplier diversity as a competitive advantage to help them grow their businesses, build brand awareness and enhance customer loyalty." Mr. Rojas moderated a panel discussion of corporate leaders at the Breakthrough Breakfast on "The Competitive Advantage" that supplier diversity gives their companies.

In addition to the awards presentation, the Breakthrough Breakfast included a networking reception, mini-trade fair and match maker meetings, offering a unique opportunity for WBEs to connect with one another and to gain access to WPEO corporate members. This year's Breakthrough Breakfast sponsors include: Avis Budget Group; Interpublic Group; Pfizer Inc.; Sanofi; Wells Fargo; Atlas; Coranet; CSS Building Services; Meadows Office Furniture; Superior Workforce Solutions; Technology Concepts Group International, LLC; HighRoad Press; the STUDIO.

About the Women Presidents' 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-owned businesses. 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 certification services.

WPEO provides full service third-party certification to women entrepreneurs in the New York, Northern New Jersey (including Princeton and points north), Southern Connecticut and the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas.  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.

Contact: Susan Johnson
[email protected] 
212-688-4114 office
917-601-5778 cell

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SOURCE Women Presidents' Educational Organization