Congrats to one of our new Executive Member, YWCA on a great achievement!
Women's Business Center of Southern Arizona awarded 2017 Women's Business Center of Excellence and Innovation Award for Region IX
[Tucson] The Women's Business Center of Southern Arizona (WBC), a program of YWCA Southern Arizona, has been named a 2017 Women's Business Center of Excellence and Innovation Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The WBC was selected, among other things, for leveling the playing field for women entrepreneurs through programming such as innovative panel discussions aimed at shattering women's stereotypes, for making world-class innovation tools accessible to Spanish-speaking communities and for dramatically increasing access to capital for its clients.
The WBC of Southern Arizona was the top center of excellence in the region that includes Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam. The award will be presented on May 18th during Small Business Week at the Arizona Small Business Association's 24th Annual Enterprise Business Awards Luncheon in Phoenix.
Marisol Flores-Aguirre, who previously served as the director of the WBC, said, "The WBC specializes in helping women and minority entrepreneurs turn their dreams into viable businesses. We couldn't do this without support from this community."The WBC of Southern Arizona is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and with major support from the City of Tucson, Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona, Connie Hillman Family Foundation, Zuckerman Family Foundation and other charitable organizations.
"The return on this investment is huge," Flores-Aguirre said. "In 2016, our WBC clients generated $3 million in gross sales revenue. We are on track to more than double that impact in 2017." The WBC provides one-on-one business counseling for 400 entrepreneurs and training programs for as many as 1,000 entrepreneurs.
Flores-Aguirre was recently promoted to become executive director of the YWCA's Microbusiness Advancement Center, which oversees the WBC as well as several new programs, including a Kitchen Business Incubator and a small business lending fund. Victor Mercado, previously the deputy director, has been promoted to director of the WBC.
For more information on how the WBC can help your business, or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, please send an e-mail to vmercado@ywcatucson.org or call (520) 447-8911.