METAIRIE, LA — The Women’s Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), announces its 25th Anniversary in 2019. Throughout the year, WBEC South commemorates 25 Years of Collective Impact at events across the region and highlights powerful partnerships between women business enterprises (WBEs) and corporations. More than 800 certified WBEs in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle contribute $16.2 billion in economic impact and 73,000 jobs to the region. Additionally, there are 300 national corporate partners who support WBEC South’s mission across industries including oil and gas, automotive, energy, gaming and healthcare.
“WBEC South has experienced unprecedented growth the past 25 years, connecting WBEs and corporate partners to expand business opportunities and create meaningful collaborations,” says Phala Mire, CEO, WBEC South. “It’s an incredible time to be a woman business owner and it’s our goal to facilitate this growth in the region with innovative resources such as our WB Collective and WB Marketplace.”
WBEC South honored WBEs and corporate partners for 25 years of service and success in its June 2019 edition of WE South magazine distributed at the WBENC National Conference recently held in Baltimore. The organization also hosted a Women of Color C-Suite Affaire that included a Women Owned Wonderland Marketplace and panel discussion for women entrepreneurs to a sold out crowd during the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 4-5, 2019.
The organization recently announced the launch of its WB Collective co-working and collaborative spaces opening in New Orleans and Nashville in 2019. It also unveiled its WB Marketplace, an online searchable platform that is a new business development tool for WBEs. Additionally, WBEC South hosts its Power Luncheon Alabama, bringing 200 WBEs and corporate partners together for networking and a Women Owned Wonderland Marketplace on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.
A special 25th Anniversary celebration will culminate at the WE Summit & Awards Gala in New Orleans on September 25-26, 2019. WBEC South provides resources to address the challenges women face in building and growing a business including educational workshops and tools to strengthen supplier diversity partnerships. To become a certified woman-owned business or learn about upcoming events visit
WBEC South is opening a co-working space for women in Nashville called WB Collective at the INK Building in Fall 2019.
