WPEO Hosts 2011 Annual Breakthrough Breakfast

Over 18,000 Contracts Signed with Women Business Enterprises

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) held its Annual Breakthrough Breakfast for Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) at the Grand Central Hyatt this morning. The Breakthrough Breakfast honored the NY region winners of the Done Deals™ Challenge, a program developed to recognize and celebrate business contracts between WPEO Corporate Sponsors and WBEs as well as between WBEs.  Contracts that took place within the Challenge time period of April 1, 2010- March 31, 2011, were then reported to the WPEO.  

Through the Done Deals™ Challenge we are able to track how successful WPEO-certified WBEs are in accessing corporate contracting opportunities with Fortune 1000 companies (WPEO sponsors). Corporations benefit by reaching their goal in supplier diversity initiatives, and both WBEs and Corporations that take part in the Challenge receive recognition on the WPEO website.  More than 18,000 contracts were signed this year between WBEs and Corporate Sponsors, surpassing the WPEO's goal for the 6th year of the Challenge.  

The WPEO honored the following Done Deals™ Awards winners:

• Corporate Leadership Award :: Time Warner Inc.;
• Corporate Leadership Award :: Con Edison;
• WBE Leadership Award :: Big Apple Car, Inc.;
• WBE Partnership Award :: Daystar Promotions Inc.;
• Access NYC and Access New York State Award :: Eriksen Translations Inc.

"The WPEO's goal has always been to facilitate successful business opportunities for certified women owned businesses. The networking, matchmaking and trade fair at the Breakthrough Breakfast allow us to directly connect WBEs with Fortune 1000 companies and other WBEs, as well as celebrate the winners of our Done Deals™ Challenge," said Marsha Firestone, Ph.D., president and founder of the WPEO.  "This year, we have well exceeded our goal of 6,000 Done Deals™.  Indeed we are very pleased to have opened many doors for women owned businesses."

Avis Budget Group and Interpublic Group were the Lead Corporate Sponsors of the event; the WBE Sponsors were Atlas Data Systems, CSS Building Services Inc., Donnelly Mechanical Corp., Meadows Office Furniture Co., Superior Staff Resources, HighRoad Press, The Studio, and JRT Realty Group; and the Raffle Sponsor was Continental Airlines. For more information, contact Kirsten Wynn at [email protected] or 212-688-4114.

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. Our 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 see the website at www.wpeo.us or call (212) 688-4114.

Contact: Kirsten Wynn, WPEO, 212-688-4114
[email protected]  

SOURCE Women Presidents' Organization