In 2026, WBENC proudly continues its tradition of honoring exceptional women business owners through the WBE Star Award. Selected by their Regional Partner Organizations, the 14 WBE Stars exemplify this year’s theme of IMPACT, demonstrating meaningful influence across their businesses, communities, and industries through leadership, excellence, and service.
Throughout the year, the 2026 WBE Stars will be featured on the WBENC website, culminating in their celebration at the 2026 WBENC National Conference, June 15–18, in Salt Lake City, Utah, where thousands gathered to do business and honor the strength and impact of the WBENC Network.
Meet Patti Weber, CEO of Croixstone Consulting, with the Greater Women’s Business Council Regional Partner Organization. Patti is a forward-thinking executive, leading her firm’s strategic direction with clarity and hands-on leadership. Under Patti’s leadership, Croixstone Consulting has achieved rapid growth and earned both national and regional recognition from organizations such as Inc. Magazine and the Charlotte Business Journal. Her leadership style is defined by a pragmatic, execution-oriented approach and a deep commitment to building trusted, collaborative client partnerships. Patti cultivates a culture rooted in innovation and excellence while guiding the delivery of tailored, high-impact solutions that drive meaningful results for clients.
Prior to founding Croixstone, Patti held senior consulting and technology leadership roles at Accenture and Kelly Services. She led complex, high-visibility initiatives across enterprise systems, post-merger integrations, and next-generation human capital management platforms. In addition to her business leadership, Patti spent more than a decade in public education across multiple states, including Minnesota, Kansas, and North Carolina, serving as a classroom teacher, instructional leader, coach, and technology advocate. Patti is deeply committed to community impact and inclusive leadership. She actively invests her time, expertise, and resources in organizations that strengthen people, expand opportunity, and build more resilient communities.
Get inspired by Patti’s insights!
Croixstone Consulting is an award-winning boutique firm providing management consulting, interim leadership, and executive search services. The firm connects top talent to middle-market, private-equity, and enterprise clients, delivering seasoned operators and interim leaders who accelerate and sustain transformation by bridging strategy and execution across finance, digital and AI, people, operations, programs, and risk. Their talent-centric model fills critical capability gaps, embeds pragmatic AI, and drives measurable results, enabling organizations to execute with confidence, resilience, and lasting impact.
Wisdom from WBE Star, Patti Weber
How do you define “IMPACT” in your own words?
To me, impact is creating meaningful, lasting change that strengthens businesses, empowers people, and contributes positively to the communities they touch. It goes beyond short-term results or isolated success. It is about building outcomes that endure and create ripple effects over time.
True impact shows up when organizations are better equipped to navigate complexity, when individuals grow in confidence, capability, and opportunity, and when communities benefit from leadership that is thoughtful, inclusive, and purpose driven. Impact is both measurable and human. It is reflected in performance and progress, as well as in trust, access, and the ability to leave something stronger than it was before.
For business owners and leaders who are looking to accelerate their “IMPACT,” what key advice or actionable steps would you recommend for them to implement today?
Start by identifying where impact truly matters most right now. Focus on the moments, decisions, or initiatives where getting it right will have outsized consequences, and concentrate your energy there.
Impact accelerates when leaders stop trying to do everything and instead stay close to the work that matters most.
Equally important, surround yourself with the right partners and people, not just the most familiar ones. Strong teams and partnerships are built on trust, shared goals, and complementary strengths, not just titles or contracts. Whether inside your organization or through external collaboration, impact increases when everyone is aligned, accountable, and moving toward a common outcome. As we have seen time and again, it is not just talent that drives success. It is collaboration, communication, and a shared commitment to execution.
What impact are you most proud of, and why?
The impact I am most proud of is building a firm that helps organizations navigate transformation and prepares leaders for what comes next. As AI and emerging technologies reshape decision making and operating models, we have helped clients move beyond experimentation to responsible, real-world implementation while building leadership capability along the way. Equally important, we have created a model where experienced operators can do meaningful work and grow their careers without sacrificing balance or purpose. That combination of strong outcomes, stronger leaders, and sustainable ways to work is what makes the impact enduring.
What are some key trends or challenges you see in your industry, and how do you plan to adapt to them?
One of the most significant shifts in consulting is the rapid rise of AI, from governance and risk to operations and talent models. Many organizations are eager to adopt AI but struggle with where to start, how to govern it, and how to integrate it into real workflows. We see a growing gap between insight and execution. Croixstone adapts by staying close to the work and helping clients design AI governance programs, evaluate and implement AI-enabled solutions, and build executive fluency so technology enhances judgment rather than replaces it. The future of consulting will belong to firms that combine technical understanding with operational credibility and accountability.
Looking ahead, what legacy of impact do you hope to leave in the business community?
I hope to leave a legacy that demonstrates transformation does not have to come at the expense of people or values. As technology, including AI, continues to accelerate change, I want Croixstone to be known for helping organizations adopt innovation thoughtfully while strengthening leadership and governance alongside performance. If our legacy is that we helped redefine how businesses transform, how leaders grow, and how communities benefit when success is paired with responsibility, that would be impact I am proud to stand behind.
