Applause is in order for our NAWBO chapter’s show of support for the national Women’s Leadership Exchange Dallas Conference, held March 11 at the Wyndham Anatole. NAWBO members turned out in force to hear WLE’s keynote speakers, Judy George, CEO of Domain, and former Texas Governor, Ann Richards.

In fact, NAWBO members were the largest supporters of the conference, which attracted more than 400 executive women, entrepreneurs, and corporate sponsors to the all-day event sponsored by OPEN: The Small Business Network from American Express.

Founded by former New York NAWBO president, Leslie Grossman, and her partners, Andrea March and Geri Stengel, Women’s Leadership Exchange is a unique business conference designed to offer women the tools and connections they need to make their business grow.

NAWBO members serving on the Advisory Board for the Dallas conference included Diane McCartney, NAWBO/DFW president; Marilyn Bushey, past president; Wendy Lopez, president-elect; Margery Miller, president of Executive Women Presidents; Jennifer Chandler, CEO, Chandler’s Cuisine; Valerie Freeman; Hattie Hill; and NAWBO Corporate Sponsor, Patricia Horonzy, Marketing Analyst for UPS.

NAWBO members, Rosanne Hart, Margery Miller, Hattie Hill, Wendy Lopez and Gail McDonald were also asked to share their expertise as part of the conference’s series of 12 seminars and three interactive roundtables.

One of the highlights of the day was the presentation of the Compass Award to three outstanding women: Marion Luna Brem, founder and CEO of Love Enterprises, one of the nation’s top-ranking auto dealerships in America; Mindy Herman, president and CEO of E!Networks, and Chris Casson Madden, founder and CEO of Chris Madden, Inc., and an author of 14 books and host of her own HGTV weekly series.

Sponsors for the local event included Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, HQ Global Workplaces, UPS, Entrepreneur Media, Inc., Forbes, KRLD, The O Group, Women’s Enterprise Magazine and the National Women’s Calendar.