• Chapter membership increased (both individual members and Corporate Partners).
  
• NAWBO’s visibility in the business community increased via strengthening existing relationships with other business organizations and establishing new alliances.
  
• The Marketing Committee gurus created a strong brand identity for our chapter, including new marketing materials and a fabulous new web site; in addition, we garnered positive media coverage.
  
• NAWBO’s public policy involvement also increased. The D/FW Chapter, in conjunction with the Houston and San Antonio chapters, is a founding member of the Women’s Business Caucus in the Texas legislature and developed a statewide public policy manual.

We ended our chapter year by hosting NAWBO’s national and hugely successful Annual Conference under the inspiring leadership of Marilyn Bushey. The conference ended on a spectacularly high note at a gala event during which:

• Wendy Lopez was named National Woman Business Owner of the Year.
  
• Marilyn Bushey, a past D/FW Chapter president, was selected as National Member of the Year, and also installed as National Vice President of Member Services.
  
• Gayle Watson,, also a past D/FW Chapter president and, most recently, National Vice President of Corporate and Economic Development, was installed as National President-Elect.

This coming year, we will build upon the hard work and successes of former chapter presidents and leaders, by continuing to develop an atmosphere of inspiration and business connectivity for all members.

My theme for this year is Changing the Face of Business. We will do that by focusing on four key areas:

• Diversifying our membership. Both individuals and Corporate Partners – in terms of geography, ethnicity, and size and type of business. We are currently discussing the possible formation of satellite chapters in the North Texas area. We will also continue to build on alliances we have established with other business organizations.

• Ensuring that our membership reflects the complexion of D/FW women-owned businesses. According to the most recent statistics available*, Texas currently ranks second in the nation in the number of women-owned businesses, defined as companies in which a woman or women hold a stake of 50 percent or more. In 2002, the D/FW area boasted about 87,000 women-owned businesses, employing 144,000 workers and generating close to $20 billion in annual sales. [ If you include Arlington as part of the D/FW area, there are 125,000 WBEs, generating $29 billion in revenue and employing 224,000 employees – ask Susan Abrahamson if she would like to include the Arlington numbers…] We want more of these women business owners to join NAWBO, so please reach out and help us to recruit them.

• Opening up new channels of business among our members by increasing and diversifying our membership while actively encouraging members and Corporate Partners to do business with one another, both directly and through referrals.

• Providing our members with forums for education, ideas, advice and networking through excellent monthly programming, active public policy involvement in an election year, expansion of Mastermind groups and the launching of NAWBO University.

Susan Abrahamson
2004-2005 President
Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter

* Source: Center for Women's Business Research