Greater Women’s Business Council® 2022 LACE Awards Honors 10 Companies for Furthering the Success of Women-Owned Businesses
GWBC® hosted its annual Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence Awards at the Georgia Aquarium on November 4
ATLANTA – November 7, 2022 – The Greater Women’s Business Council® (GWBC®), one of the Southeast’s largest certification and development resource providers for women business enterprises (WBEs), hosted its annual LACE (Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence) Awards back in person at the Georgia Aquarium on Friday, November 4.
The black-tie gala, which featured a gourmet dinner and entertainment from The Infinity Band, brought together more than 250 attendees who were excited to reconnect in person. The largest event of the year for GWBC focused on honoring GWBC-certified women-owned businesses for their success in challenging economic times and GWBC’s corporate partners for their contributions to further the success of these WBEs.
“Being able to host and honor our enterprise corporations and innovative women businesses for their success and influence after two years of virtual events was so meaningful to us all,” said GWBC President and CEO Roz Lewis. “These honorees not only set the standard for business success but also become role models for the more than 1,100 certified WBEs and corporate members we nurture at GWBC.”
Vince Bailey (also known as “Vince the Voice”) and Paola Suro with 11Alive, WXIA-TV, hosted the event as emcees. In addition, GWBC launched a text-to-give campaign at the event to gain support for its 2023 new programs that will include incubators, executive leadership training and accelerators to help launch, certify and increase the success of even more women-owned businesses. More information is available at www.givebutter.com/DonateGWBC.
2022 LACE Award Winners
LACE Awards are given to companies or individuals for their outstanding contributions in supporting women-owned businesses through mentoring, coaching, world-class supplier diversity initiatives and providing procurement opportunities. The 2022 GWBC LACE Awards recipients include:
- Corporation of the Year – UPS
The award is given to a corporation that has created significant advancement in breaking down barriers that impede WBEs from gaining fair access to procurement opportunities, including supplier development activities, financial assistance and strategic alliance counseling.
- Advocate of the Year, Corporation – AT&T and Randstad
This award goes to a supplier diversity practitioner, procurement professional or buyer who is a current employee of a corporate GWBC member, and is selected for extraordinary efforts in inspiring, engaging and empowering GWBC certified WBEs.
- Buyer of the Year – Truist
This award is given to a buyer, procurement professional or a supplier diversity practitioner who is a current employee of a corporate GWBC member, selected for instituting programs that offer equal access for GWBC-certified WBEs and attained world-class quality in its supplier diversity process.
- The Voice Award – Truist
The Voice Award goes to a corporation selected by GWBC WBEs that has exhibited the most significant progress in creating a voice and platform for GWBC-certified WBEs to gain fair access to procurement opportunities.
- Advocate of the Year, WBE – Lexair Electronics Sales Corporation
This award is given to a GWBC-certified WBE business owner (CEO/President) or an employee of a GWBC-certified WBE, recognized and honored for their proven methods in mentoring, coaching and supporting women-owned businesses.
- Trailblazer Award
These awards go to GWBC-certified WBE owners (CEO/President) based upon being a pillar of their community, contributing their time and talent with a proven track record of mentoring, partnerships, volunteerism and supporting other WBEs.
- Trailblazer, Category I (Annual Sales under $1 Million) – The PharmaKon LLC
- Trailblazer, Category II (Annual Sales $1 – $5 Million) – Eyemail, Inc.
- Trailblazer Award: Category IV (Annual Sales $10 Million - $20 Million) - InfoMart
- Trailblazer Award: Category V (Annual Sales $20 Million - $30 Million) – Innovien Solutions
- Trailblazer Award: Category VII (Annual Sales $50 Million - $100 Million) - Softpath System LLC
“What an amazing opportunity to return in person and recognize our LACE nominees and winners. The contributions that women businesses make to the region we serve, including Georgia, North and South Carolina, goes beyond economic impact. When women succeed, communities thrive,” said GWBC Board Chair and Truist Senior Vice President and Head of Supplier Diversity Lissa Miller. “GWBC and the corporate partners that help to provide education and opportunities to these growing businesses will continue to grow into next year and beyond wth even more targeted program to help them succeed.”
GWBC also took time to thank and recognize the contributions of 32 women business enterprises that are celebrating their 10-year anniversary of WBENC certification along with corporate champions BMW Manufacturing and Sonoco that are celebrating 10 years as GWBC partners. In addition, GWBC recognized the board members who work tirelessly year-round to help move the organization forward, including:
- Lissa Miller, Truist Financial Corporation – Chair
- Kathleen Marran, UPS – First Vice Chair
- Tina Stevens, Secondary Solutions – Second Vice Chair
- Michelle Muhammad, Southern Company Gas - Secretary
- Stephanie Pulliam, AT&T – Treasurer
- Dwan Armstrong, The Clorox Company – Parliamentarian
- Sesley Brown, Accenture
- Danielle Cheung, Bank of America
- Patrick Dierberger, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Kayla Dang, GMI Group, Inc.
- Sushumna Roy Jalajam, Softpath System
- Sheila Jordan, Knowledge Architects
- Greg Munoz, Sonoco
- Tameka Harper, The Coca-Cola Company
- Tai Roberson, Wells Fargo
About Greater Women’s Business Council®
The Greater Women’s Business Council® (GWBC®) is a nonprofit organization providing nationally recognized certification through Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), in addition to innovative programming and value-driven events to meet the unique needs of women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. GWBC’s constituency is comprised of more than 1,000 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances united to inspire, engage and empower women-owned businesses. A Regional Partner Organization of WBENC, GWBC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a second office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn more at www.gwbc.org or follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
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Media Contacts:
Frances Chang
communications 21, on behalf of GWBC
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404.814.1330
Or
Sharon Goldmacher
communications 21, on behalf of GWBC
sgoldmacher@c21pr.com
404.814.1330