Who We Are
The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) is the oldest, largest, most comprehensive, and successful women’s business assistance center in the United States. We're nationally and internationally recognized for our responsive, innovative, and effective programs and advocacy efforts. We deliver business services and financial assistance to empower women towards entrepreneurship and economic self-sufficiency.. Since our founding in 1986, we've grown from a two-person operation to a national leader in women’s economic development with a budget of $2.2 million. Our operation has grown to a staff of 24 full-time employees and consultants, a roster of expert trainers, industry-specific advisory boards, and a powerful Board of Directors comprised of Chicago women considered leaders in their fields.
Over the years, we've assisted more than 65,000 women in the greater Chicago area, helped establish 14 additional women’s business assistance centers in six states in the U.S., and continue to be credited for programs and policies that impact women’s economic development across the nation and globally.
Goals
The goals of the Women’s Business Development Center are to:
♀ Accelerate the rate of growth of women’s business and microenterprise ownership
♀ Increase the economic impact of women-owned businesses on families and communities
♀ Build awareness of business ownership as a viable means of economic self-sufficiency, and
♀ Stimulate public policy and system changes which support and strengthen women’s economic impact
Staff
The Women's Business Development Center management and staff are unequaled in expertise, experience, and commitment to the development of women's economic self-sufficiency through business ownership Key management and staff include:
Leadership
Hedy Ratner is a Co-Founder and Co-President of the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC), the largest, oldest and most comprehensive and successful women’s business assistance center in the U.S. Founded in 1986, the WBDC has initiated and helped develop women’s business programs in 6 states. The Center provides counseling, training, financial, certification and procurement assistance for emerging and establishing women business owners. Special programs include the Child Care Business Program and Latina Initiative (programs in Spanish).
An advocate and activist for women’s issues for the past 35 years, Hedy Ratner was appointed by President Clinton to the National Women’s Business Council; she helped to advocate for and create and was appointed by Illinois Governors Edgar and Ryan to the Illinois Women’s Business Ownership Council and the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women in Illinois and by Governor Blagojevich to the Illinois Labor Advisory Board and the Business Enterprise Program Council. Hedy was appointed as Co-Chairperson of the Women’s Health Task Force by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. She is also a board member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau; a founding member of the Alliance of Minority and Female Contractors Association and a member of The Chicago Network.
Carol Dougal, Co-President and Co-Founder, brings over 30 years of leadership in the women's business development and employment and training community. Carol is a creative leader whose present work includes executive committee membership of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, developing the first national Women's Business Enterprise certification program. She brings experience in employment and training issues to the WBDC, especially relevant in launching a program to educate women business owners on issues regarding hiring women who are moving from welfare to work.
Emilia DiMenco is an Eexecutive Vice President on Harris Bank’s Commercial Banking team, representing Harris in her role as Strategic Advisor and Chief Operating Officer with the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC-Chicago).
Throughout her 30-year tenure at Harris, Emilia has been a strong leader across many facets of the organization. She has held relationship management and leadership positions in Corporate Banking, Capital Markets, Corporate Cash Management, Business Banking and Marketing.
Emilia is well-known for her contributions to civic organizations in the Chicago community. She is a board member of the Women’s Business Development Center. Emilia serves on the Business Advisory Council for the College of Business Administration at the University of Illinois Chicago, the Cook County Economic Development Advisory Committee, and as co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Council for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. She also holds leadership positions for the Consumer Bankers Association-Small Business Committee and the Crain’s Chicago Business Women’s Advisory Council.
Emilia holds B.S. and M.B.A. degrees, both in finance, from DePaul University. She also studied international finance at Loyola University’s Rome Center.
Marketing, Branding and External Relations
Mia M. Delano serves as the Director of Marketing and External Relations for the WBDC. With over a decade of experience with the WBDC, in her current role Mia works directly with the WBDC Board of Directors, as well as all WBDC consultants and staff, securing funding, strengthening the WBDC brand, and building strategic partnerships within our nine state Midwestern region, and nationally, to further the mission of the WBDC. Mia is also the director of the annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference, the oldest conference and business opportunities fair for women business owners in the country and the largest marketing, publicity-generating and fundraising tool for the WBDC. Under her leadership, the Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference has tripled in size and serves as one of the premier events for women business owners in the nation. A highly skilled communications, marketing and public relations expert, Mia is also a steadfast advocate for the advancement of women and minority-owned businesses. 
Business Counselors and Trainers
Bilingual Training & Counseling /Latina Program
Maria Lopez is Director of Latina Programs and serves as a WBDC bilingual (Spanish) business counselor. Maria provides bilingual entrepreneurial training, counseling and computer classes for entrepreneurs and child care providers. Prior to joining the WBDC, Maria worked for LaSalle National Bank for 13 years in the areas of Business Transformation, Corporate Development and Acquisition, Corporate Capital, and Treasury Operations. She was born in Mexico City, Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 6. Maria received a B.S. from DePaul University with a comprehensive major in Finance.
Janice Lopez is Associate Director of Latina Program and serves as a WBDC bilingual business counselor. In this role Janice provides general business management, counseling and training to WBDC clients in both English and Spanish. Janice brings over 15 years of experience in business and economic development. Previously she held the position of Area Manager and Certified Business Analyst for the University of Central Florida Small Business Development Center, Kissimmee, where she was responsible for providing consulting services for start-up and second stage businesses, review of business plans and analysis of business financial statements. She advised clients on business development, business planning and support capitalization efforts and economic growth and facilitated workshops and seminars for business expansion, improving cash flow and competitive strategies within target industries. Janice received a B.S. in Finance from Northeastern Illinois University.
Child Care Business Program
Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling
Meg Herman is Director of Entrepreneurial Services and joined the WBDC in 2008. In this capacity she connects clients with our counseling and training services, plans new learning opportunities and outreaches to affiliate organizations to let emerging and established business know about WBDC services. Prior to joining the WBDC, she maintained a successful professional coaching and consulting practice for over 10 years with Managing Horizons, LLC, where she was founding partner. Meg designed and facilitated adult learning opportunities for profit and non-profit organizations for over 30 years, including staff and board retreats, adult learning strategies, diversity training and organization development, in order to improve business results and quality of life. Meg’s coaching clients come to her for goal setting, organizational and personal performance improvement, and holding themselves accountable to their plans. Meg holds a Masters in Social Work from Jane Addams College, University of Illinois, and is a Professionally Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, with training from Coach University and the Coaches Training Institute. She has a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Illinois. 
Debra Minor-Harvey isa business counselor/trainer and founder of the The Right Source, a project management, training, and organization development consulting firm she has operated since 1989. She brings to her clients over thirty years of nonprofit administrative and project management experience. During her professional career Deborah has combined policy work with her senior level management positions. She has provided policy formulation, analysis, and advocacy support for a number of organizations throughout the nation. She has participated in a number of public and private forums contributing to policy development in the areas of education, healthcare, workforce development and welfare reform. Since 1990, Deborah has provided training and business development support to primarily women entrepreneurs through her work with the Women’s Self Employment Project (WSEP) and the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). She has served as the coordinator of the WBDC Child Care Business Initiative supporting home or center-based child care businesses. Deborah currently serves as a business development specialist for WBDC providing training and counseling services to entrepreneurs throughout the Chicagoland area.
Finance Program
Eva Brown joined the WBDC staff in December 2010 as a
business counselor and finance specialist. In this role Eva provides financial business counseling and training to WBDC clients and reviews applications to the WBDC’s new Small Business Micro-loan Program.
Eva brings with her a wealth of experience working in the banking industry focused on small businesses as well as a passion for assisting minority and women-owned businesses. Previously she worked as an Assistant Vice President in Business Banking at Fifth Third Bank where she managed a large loan and deposit portfolio of small business clients. She has also worked as a Relationship Manager and Credit Analyst at Harris N.A. Eva received a MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in Marketing from Northern Illinois University.
Teresa Prim is a WBDC finance counselor and management consultant. She assists aspiring and established entrepreneurs in issues of business financing, including savings and budgeting, cash flow projections, profit and loss statements, and the creation of a business plan. Teresa is committed to increasing WBDC's effectiveness with minority and low-income entrepreneurs. She is expert in many facets of business development including the child care industry, the laundromat industry, loan packaging, real estate transactions, business plan development, and community development. Teresa holds a Masters degree in Community Economic Development from Hampshire College.
Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) and Established Business Program
Freida Curry is the Director of the Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center at the WBDC. In this role, Freida assists business owners with the process of finding, bidding for, and winning contracts with local, state and/or federal government agencies.
Freida has a rich history of assisting small business owners in the various stages of starting, growing, and funding their business ventures. In previous positions, she was the Entrepreneurship Director at The Chicago Urban League; and the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ms. Curry is also the previous owner of Freida Curry & Associates, a small business consulting and training firm; and I AM Records, a recording label.
Cynthia Johnson is Director of Established Business Services at the Women's Business Development Center WBDC). In this role she leads the programs for established business owners that are designed in increase contract opportunities with WBDCs corporate partners. . She is also the WBDC Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Small Business Development Director. Cynthia has extensive entrepreneurial experience as founder and CEO of a business that she managed for 30 years. Over the course of her career, she fulfilled executive leadership positions with a number of non-profit organizations. Having served for many years on the board of directors at the WBDC, she joined the staff 2009. Cynthia guides entrepreneurs through the process of starting a new business or expanding an existing one. Her expertise includes one-on-one counseling in all aspects of business development, management, entrepreneurial training, financial management and assistance in identifying new market opportunities for Women Business Enterprise National Certification clients at the WBDC.
WBE Certification Program
Debbi L. Lyall is Certification Director at the WBDC. Debbi has 12 years of purchasing experience in both the public and private sectors (Chicago Park District and Bank One/First Chicago). In her role at the WBDC, Debbi assists small businesses in accessing contracting/subcontracting opportunities, counseling on bid/proposal preparation and submission, and assistance on all certifications.
Deon M. Crayton is the Certification Program Manager for the WBDC's WBE Certification Program. The WBDC certifies more than 1,400 women annually as WBEs throughout its nine-state Midwestern Region, through their partnership with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Prior to her current role, Deon served as the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Director at the WBDC, where she assisted certified women business owners, and other small business owners, in securing contracts and subcontracts in both the public and private sectors, and facilitated relationships between certified WBEs and buyers through the WBDC’s Corporate Connections program.
Deon first came to work at the WBDC in 2002 and began as the Assistant to the Director of the PTAC program. Deon received a B.A degree in 2001 from Albion College, in Albion, MI, and an M.A. in Professional Counseling in 2003 from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University, in Chicago.
Natasha Fedorova is the Program Director of the WBDC’s satellite office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The WBDC-Minnesota 
(WBDC-MN) certifies woman-owned businesses and provides extensive post-certification training and networking opportunities to Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) in Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and the Dakotas. Natasha has nearly a decade of experience of working with women entrepreneurs, and because of her strong commitment to the advancement of women in business, Natasha was recognized as the 2011 Women in Business Champion of the Year by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Minnesota District Office, and named the 2010 Strategic Alliance Partner of the Year by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She holds Master’s in Nonprofit Administration and MBA degrees from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, MN.
Danae Kovac is Director of Operations at the WBDC. In this role she is responsible for the oversight and management of the WBDC’s marketing, technology, client databases, human resources and administrative departments. Danae formerly served as the WBDC’s Manager of Marketing and Special Projects. Danae received a B.A. in Sociology and Urban Studies from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.
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Administration
Rebecca Diaz, Executive Assitant to the Co-Presidents
Carolina Diaz - Client Database Administrator
Richard Henderson, Facilities Assistant
Grace Lopez, Client Services/Training Assistant
Programs
Kristin Travis, Program Assistant
Technology
Ellenie Girma, Network Administrator/website Manager
Certification
Kelly Hinman, Certification Specialist
Peggy Smith, Certification Specialist
Resource Development
Georgia Marsh, Resource Development Consultant
Board of Directors
Women’s Business Development Center is enormously grateful to its stellar Board of Directors for its advice, counsel and support.2010 - 2011 WBDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS (as of January 2011)
Laurel G. Bellows 9
Principal
The Bellows Law Group P.C.
Linda Chaplik Harris 13
Vice Chair of the WBDC Board
Partner
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Alison Chung 2
President
TeamWerks
Risa R. Davis 10
Area Manager, Commercial Banking Group
Citibank, Illinois
Emilia DiMenco 11
Executive Vice President, Business Banking
Harris Bank
Carol Dougal
Co-President
Women's Business Development Center
Martha Garza 8
Change Management Director
ComEd
Debra Jennings Johnson 14
Chairperson of WBDC Board
Director, Supplier Diversity
BP America
Norma J. Lauder 6
Audit Committee Chair of WBDC Board
Director, MS Tax Program
University of Illinois
Jeanne Mandoza 5
District Controller
United Parcel Services
Pam McDonough 4
Secretary/Treasurer of the WBDC Board
Chief Executive Officer
DeAngelo/McDonough Construction Management Company
Sandra Rand 3
Hedy M. Ratner
Co-President
Women's Business Development Center
Arabel Alva Rosales 1
President
AAR Enterprises
Shelley Stern 12
Central Region Citizenship Lead
Microsoft Corporation
Donna L. Westerman 7
Director Supplier Diversity and Social Responsibility
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
Ex Officio Board Members
Mellody Hobson
President
Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
Terry Savage
Financial Analyst
President, Terry Savage Productions, Ltd.
Sponsors & Partners
The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO); is a delegate agency of the City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development; a grant recipient of Cook County, Department of Planning and Development; and a certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). As a member of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network, the WBDC is an Illinois Small Business Development Center and an Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center funded in part through a cooperative agreement with The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the U.S. Department of Defence. The WBDC is also a proud partner of many corporations, foundations and contributors who help make entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
Marquee Contributors ($40,000)
Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Inc.
BP America, Inc.
Citi
Harris N.A.
Keurig
McCormick Foundation
Wal-Mart Foundation
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
Premier Contributors ($25,000-$39,999)
Allstate
CDW
ComEd
Craigslist Foundation
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Health Care Service Corporation/BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP
M&I Foundation, Inc.
Microsoft Corporation
The Nielsen Company
OfficeMax
Sara Lee Foundation
Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust
Target Corporation
United Airlines
Walgreen Co.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
Major Contributors ($10,000 – $24,999)
Bank of America
Charter One Bank
CME Group Foundation
CNA Foundation
Continental Casualty Company (CNA)
Edward M. Marx Foundation
Ernst & Young LLP
Fifth Third Bank
Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
Kraft Foods
MasterCard Worldwide
MorganStanley SmithBarney
Northern Trust
Office Depot
PepsiCo, Inc.
PNC
Prudential Insurance Company of America
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Smead Manufacturing Company
Southwest Airlines Co.
U.S. Bank
UBS Financial Services
United Parcel Service (UPS)
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
W.W. Grainer, Inc
Marquee Government Partners
City of Chicago, Department of Community Development
Cook County, Bureau of Community Development
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Entrepreneurship Network, SBDC
Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority (MPEA)
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Women’s Business Ownership
Government Contributors ($3,500 - $10,000)
City of Chicago, Department of Aviation
City of Chicago, Department of Procurement Services
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Minneapolis Public School District
U.S. Department of Labor – Women’s Bureau
Supporters ($2,000 – $9,999)
3M
Advocate Health Care
AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc.
Alliant Energy
American Airlines
American Family Insurance
American Hotel Register Company
Ariel Investments, LLC
AT&T
Avis Budget Group, Inc.
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
Best Buy Corporation
BUNN
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
Cardinal Health
Cargill, Inc.
Chicago Foundation for Women
Cole Taylor Bank
Comcast
Cub Foods
Deluxe Corporation
Digital Check Corp.
Dominick’s Finer Foods
Ecolab
Elizabeth Beidler Tisdahl Foundation
Enterforce, Inc.
Francis Beidler Foundation
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Haworth, Inc.
IBM
Integrys Energy Group/Peoples Gas
INTREN, Inc.
Jack & Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund
Jocarno Fund
John D. and Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation
Kayhan International
Kelly Mitchell Group, Inc.
Leo Burnett USA
Macy’s
Major League Baseball
Manilow Suites, Inc.
Manpower
Marathon Petroleum Company LLC
Mayo Clinic
Medtronic, Inc.
Midwest Bank
Motorola, Inc.
National Van Lines, Inc.
Navistar
Nicor Gas
Northwestern University – Purchasing Resource Services
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Pepper Construction Company
The Private Bank
RR Donnelley
RSM McGladrey, Inc.
Rush University Medical Center & Office of Transportation
Smurfit–Stone Container Corporation
Staples, Inc.
SUPERVALU, Inc.
TeamWerks
The Toro Company
Turner Construction Company Foundation
U.S. Cellular
The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago Medical Center
University HealthSystem Consortium
William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.
Wisconsin Energy Corporation
Xcel Energy
Media Partners
Black EOE Journal
CATALINA Magazine
Chicago Sun-Times
Crain’s Chicago Business
Enterprising Women Magazine
Extra Newspaper
FOX 32 Chicago
Hispanic Network Magazine
Hoy Newspaper
La Raza
Latina Style Magazine
Latino Social Magazine
Lawndale News
MBE Magazine
Minorities and Women In Business Magazine
Minority Business News USA (MBN USA)
NBC5 Chicago
Pioneer Press
Professional Woman’s Magazine
Reflejos Newspaper
Telemundo
Today’s Chicago Woman
Univision Radio
WGBO – TV66 Univision
Women’s Enterprise Magazine (WE USA)
Women’s Radio
WVON Radio
*Donors listed as of 1-1-11
Contact WBDC
MAIN OFFICE – DOWNTOWN CHICAGO
8 South Michigan Avenue
4th Floor
(312) 853-3477 - General Number
(312) 853-0145 - Fax
TDD number for the WBDC is
1-800-526-0844 (TDD only) or
1-800-526-0857 (operated assisted)
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday – Friday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
________________
Latina Business Program
WBE Certification
Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference and Corporate Partners
Mia Delano x. 450 or
mdelano@wbdc.org
Finance and Loan Information
General Information
Website & Online Registration Questions
Entrepreneurial Training and Counseling For Business Development and Expansion
Meg Herman x. 130 or
mherman@wbdc.org
Procurement Technical Assistance Information
