ATLANTA – June 26, 2023 – The Greater Women’s Business Council® (GWBC®), one of the Southeast’s largest certification and development resources providers for women business enterprises (WBEs), is accepting nominations for its annual LACE (Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence) Awards until July 31, 2023, at 5 p.m.
The LACE Awards are given to those who exemplify an extraordinary commitment to the mission of advancing, promoting and advocating for women business owners through education, mentoring, certification and corporate partnering. The black-tie event celebrates and recognizes GWBC’s corporate partners and GWBC-certified women businesses (WBEs) for their continued commitment to that mission.
“The LACE Awards is our final recognition event of the year and the best opportunity to highlight the amazing work that takes place all year long by our certified women businesses and our corporate partners. It is truly a celebration of achievements in women accelerating their business growth and companies fulfilling their supplier-diversity goals – all creating greater economic impact in our region of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina,” said GWBC President and CEO Roz Lewis.
Nominations are open to any GWBC corporate member or GWBC-certified WBE and each member is allotted five nominations in each award category. Self-nominations are encouraged and accepted.
2023 LACE Award Categories
The 2023 GWBC LACE Awards categories include:
Advocate of the Year Corporate: This award honors an individual for their mentoring methods, coaching and support of women-owned businesses and is open to Supplier Diversity Practitioners, Procurement Professionals and Buyers who are current employees of a corporate member of GWBC.
Buyer of the Year: Honoring those who attain world-class quality in its supplier diversity process, this award is presented to a Buyer, Procurement Professional or Supplier Diversity Practitioner who has procurement experience and is a current employee of a Corporate Member of GWBC.
Corporation of the Year: This award honors various initiatives and processes launched to increase relationships with WBE suppliers, including supplier development activities, financial assistance and strategic alliance counseling. The award will be presented to a current GWBC corporation that has created significant advancement in breaking down barriers that impede WBEs from gaining fair access to procurement opportunities.
The Voice Award: This award is presented to a GWBC corporation 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: This award will be presented to either a GWBC- Certified WBE business owner or an employee of a GWBC-Certified WBE and honors their mentoring methods, coaching and support for women-owned businesses.
Trailblazer Award: This award will be presented to GWBC-Certified WBE owners by annual revenue category.
Category I - Annual sales under $1 Million
Category II - Annual sales $1 Million - $5 Million
Category III - Annual sales $5 Million - $10 Million
Category IV - Annual sales $10 Million - $20 Million
Category V - Annual sales $20 Million - $50 Million
Category VI - Annual sales $50 Million - $100 Million
Category VII - Annual sales more than $100 Million
The nominees should exemplify leadership, creativity and innovation, and the winner will be selected based on being a pillar in their community, contributing their time and talent with a proven track record of mentoring, partnerships, volunteerism and WBE to WBE spending.
Volunteer of the Year: This award will be presented to a GWBC-Certified WBE or a retired corporate employee who has demonstrated outstanding volunteer service. Event volunteers, committee chairs and members are eligible.
To submit a nomination by July 31 at 5 p.m. – click here.
Winners will be announced live at the 2023 LACE Awards on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Georgia Aquarium.
About Greater Women’s Business Council®
The Greater Women’s Business Council® (GWBC®) is a nonprofit organization providing nationally recognized certification through the 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 1,200 certified WBEs, dozens of corporate member partners, government entities and business alliances that 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 us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
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Media Contact:
Meghan Stoneburner, on behalf of GWBC
communications 21
mstoneburner@c21pr.com
404.579.7335