WBE Member, CDG & Associates joined forces with PeopleSolutions to show that small business can work together to achieve big things. Preliminary results from the April 27th March of Dimes WalkAmerica fundraiser have put "CEOs Walk the Walk", the team of small business chief executives they organized, into the winners’ circle. Their team raised the largest amount of money of any new team in the North Texas division and was included as one of Dallas’ “Top 25 Teams,” a prestigious roster of the most successful fundraisers for the March of Dimes.

Cynthia Driskill, CEO of CDG & Associates is a newcomer to the March of Dimes North Texas Division Board of Directors. She felt that small businesses were under-represented among the March of Dimes’ major contributors. She and Ed Rankin, CEO of PeopleSolutions, decided to change that by inviting CEOs of companies with revenues of $3 million or more to join together. Seventeen other CEOs accepted the challenge and the team succeeded in raising $23,800!

Fellow WBE Members, Team Builders, Delta Dallas and the Imprimis Group participated in this first annual event and helped the team to reach its original goals: to increase the assistance that small businesses give to the March of Dimes and to raise public awareness of the role of small businesses in supporting community causes.

All WalkAmerica net proceeds support the March of Dimes in achieving its mission to prevent birth defects and reduce infant mortality. Funds are used for research, education, community services and advocacy programs to help ensure that all babies have a healthy start in life.

Next year, the leaders of this team plan to reduce the minimum revenue amount to $1 million to enable more CEOs to get involved. They envision this program spreading across the country in the years to come, and Driskill’s goal for next year is to raise $250 thousand and to have 250 CEOs participate.