President Linda Denny to Lead National Women’s Business Advocate Into Second Decade
Los Angeles, June 26 -- The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the leading advocate for women’s businesses as suppliers to the nation’s corporations, today named Linda Denny as its president.
Ms. Denny assumes leadership at a transformational time in the organization’s history, as it embarks on its second decade building on a strong track record of growth and with plans for a global strategy in the future. The announcement was made at WBENC’s 8th Annual Women in Business 2007: Launching a New Decade, the nation’s largest conference and business fair for WBEs, taking place here June 25-28.
WBENC also named Cheryl Stevens as board chair-elect, and Tanya Penny as secretary-elect. Ms. Stevens, who is vice president of Workforce and Supplier Diversity for TXU, was formerly secretary of the Board, has served on the WBENC Board for more than four years and has served on the Executive Committee since 2004. Ms. Penny is vice president of Sourcing and Procurement Operations for Supply Chain Services, part of the Verizon Services Operations (VSO) group. She was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2001.
“Linda Denny brings a vital and engaging leadership presence, a deep knowledge of both corporations’ and women’s business issues, and strategic vision to the position,” said WBENC Board Chair Bill Moon. “This is an exciting and opportune time for her to take the helm and guide our organization towards our mission in the next decade.”
Founded in March 1997, WBENC was the first organization to provide women-owned and operated businesses, access as suppliers to major corporations. Since then, WBENC has become the standard bearer of best practices for both the corporations seeking to buy from women and the women’s businesses themselves.
WBENC has grown to 240 corporate members, all of whom have a commitment to supplier diversity, and who represent a cross section of America’s industry leaders. Through its 14 partner organizations across the country, WBENC is the largest “certifier” of Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs), or businesses that are 51% owned and operated by women, and has certified some 6,000 WBEs to date. WBENC certification is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations, representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and Federal levels.
WBENC also provides unsurpassed educational and business-building events throughout the year, evidenced at this week’s Conference and Business Fair with an expected record attendance of nearly 3,000.
Linda Denny has served as interim president since November of 2006, when she was asked to step into that role as Susan Phillips Bari became president emeritus. During her three years as vice president, Linda demonstrated her management expertise honed from within and outside WBENC. Linda was directly involved in the management of WBENC’s operations, corporate member growth, programs and development. She managed WBENC’s largest special programs including the National Conference and Business Fair, Salute to Women’s Business Enterprises, and MatchMaker meetings. She also has spearheaded key initiatives such as the WBENC rebranding and development of the Code of Ethics. Prior to joining WBENC, Linda held senior management positions with companies such as ING Insurance Company of America, formerly Aetna Financial Services; and New York Life Insurance Company.
She has been an active member of distinguished organizations such as The Advisory Board of the IBM-World Bank, Small/Medium Business Growth Project; the Treasurer of the Women’s Leadership Board at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; the Board of Directors at the National Women’s History Museum; the W/MBE Diversity Committee for the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Office Depot Women’s Advisory Board and a Founding Board Member of the, Association of Women’s Business Development Centers. She is also a member of the ASAE, Center for Association Management, and the MGM Diversity Council.
Ms. Denny is a frequent industry speaker, and addressed women’s retirement issues at the 2000 Republican National Convention. She holds two degrees from Pittsburg State University and in 2002 received the Meritorious Achievement Award.
President Emeritus Susan Phillps Bari, remarked, “It is exciting and gratifying to see a woman of such accomplishment assume the Presidency of WBENC. I am certain that our second decade strategy and initiatives will be fortified by her talent.”
About the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC):
- Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, and the leading advocate of women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to corporate America.
- The average WBENC certified company has revenues of $7.7M, 45 employees and 14 years of experience.
- Approximately 50 WBE firms have revenues in excess of $100M, and six certified WBE companies have revenues in excess of $1 billion.
- 240 U.S. corporations are active members of WBENC and representatives of 36 corporations sit on the WBENC Board of Directors, along with nine representatives of its partner organizations and nine WBEs.
- WBENC certification is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations, representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and federal levels.
- WBENC also has developed several highly regarded initiatives for recognizing excellence in corporate supplier diversity targeting WBEs (America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises, The WBENC Applause Awards) and women’s business enterprises (WBENC’s Woman-Owned Business Stars).
- WEBuy is an online marketplace tool that corporations and government agencies, as well as WBEs, can use to post RFPs, sources sought, and RFIs.
- WBENC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks and accepts donations from corporations, foundations and individuals that support its mission and programs.
- WBENCLink is an Internet database, accessed by WBENC corporate members and certified women's business enterprises (WBEs), which contains information on certified women's businesses for purchasing managers nationwide.
For more information about WBENC, visit our website at www.wbenc.org.