Women Business Enterprise Certification One Year Later

June 1st marks the one anniversary of the state's newest initiative for women-owned businesses; the Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) certification. The Department of Commerce (Commerce) has certified 251 businesses as being woman-owned (51 percent majority owned, controlled and daily managed). To better promote these state certified vendors and to make it easy for buyer to find them, Commerce maintains an on-line WBE directory. Through the Commerce website (http://commerce.wi.gov/BD/BD-WBECertification.html) buyers will be able to obtain information about the products and services offered by certified WBE's.

"Clearly, women-owned businesses in Wisconsin are growing," said Secretary Jack L. Fischer, A.I.A. "The Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) designation when combined with a strategic marketing plan, can expand the opportunities for women with government and corporations that recognize the value of doing business with women-owned firms."

To become certified as a WBE, an applicant must provide proprietary information that will assist the Commerce in determining eligibility. Interested businesses will find instruction on how to apply for status as a Wisconsin WBE from the Commerce web site or you may contact Carol Dunn at 608-267-0297 or carol.dunn@wisconsin.gov.

-- Barbro McGinn and Carol Dunn