WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO) proudly welcomes Bank of America as presenting sponsor of its Women's Business Conference 2013. This year's event will be held October 3-5 in Miami, Florida, and is expected to attract hundreds of women business owners and their community of supporters from all industries and sectors. Keynote speakers will include Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, co-founders of Gilt Groupe, and Gina Rudan, author and president of Genuine Insights. The Women's Business Conference will also feature breakout session experts on topics tailored for businesses at all stages of growth, from emerging to intermediary and international.
"Bank of America has shown a tremendous commitment to all businesses, large and small, and particularly to women business owners," says Billie Dragoo, NAWBO National Chair and President/CEO of Indianapolis-based RepuCare. "They understand the critical role women entrepreneurs play in driving the economy forward and the unique challenges we face when it comes to access to capital and procurement opportunities. They are acting on their capacity to help women entrepreneurs create and retain jobs, offer new products and services and generate ideas and opportunities for customers and investors."
Bank of America works closely with regional diversity councils that are members of the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council to provide the funding and technical support these businesses need to survive and thrive. Their efforts also help ensure success in today's challenging economy by serving as a primary source of contracts for these businesses.
"Bank of America is very pleased to be presenting sponsor of NAWBO's Women Business Conference 2013," said Robb Hilson, Bank of America Small Business executive. "Working with a great organization like NAWBO will allow us to help women-owned small businesses succeed and thrive, and is another way the bank continues to show its commitment to small businesses throughout the nation."
Bank of America has a nationwide network of banking centers and professionals that are committed to its more than 3 million small business clients and their local communities. The resources of Bank of America help small business owners succeed by offering convenient interactions and comprehensive banking, credit, cash management and investing solutions. The personal connection of small business bankers, client managers and practice solutions specialists contributes to the success of small businesses and their communities by making expertise more accessible. In the first half of 2013, Bank of America extended more than $5 billion in new credit to small businesses—an increase of 26 percent over the first half of 2012.
The theme of the NAWBO Women's Business Conference 2013 is "The World Awaits." It speaks to the fact that women business owners continue to grow at a record rate, and more women are in leadership positions than ever before, from companies to the U.S. Congress. The world truly awaits the next big move of strong, innovative women entrepreneurs.
For more information on the conference, visit www.nawbo.org.
About NAWBO®
Founded in 1975, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the unified voice of America's more than 10 million women-owned businesses representing the fastest growing segment of the economy. NAWBO is the only dues-based organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries. NAWBO develops programs that help navigate women entrepreneurs thought the various stages of their business growth.
About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. We serve approximately 51 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,300 retail banking offices and approximately 16,350 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users and more than 13 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Media Contacts:
Christina Jorgensen
NAWBO® Media Relations
p: (818) 772-9555, ext. 103
e: Media@nawbo.org
Don Vecchiarello
Bank of America Media Relations
p: (980) 387-4899
e: don.vecchiarello@bankofamerica.com
SOURCE National Association of Women Business Owners