This year's opening reception was a White Hot Celebration sponsored by NiSource. We all came together in our best all white attire to help kickoff the conference. We had a great time reconnecting and had so much fun during our fashion show! There were a lot of creative ensembles on display!

This year marked our first Catch the Wave Golf Outing and it was a success (until the rain came)! We had a blast on the beautiful green and special thank you to our LPGA golf pro, Sue Ertl, for joining us!

While some people chose to golf, others opted to enjoy a Bourbon Tour at the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.

This year's Trailblazer Award honoree was none other than the amazing Alice Houston! It was a pleasure to give her her flowers and hear her story as she was interviewed by her daughter, Lynn Moore. During this dinner, we not only celebrated Ms. Alice, but we also celebrated our other award winners from our RPO and announced that we raised over $29,000 for the Sheila A. Mixon Entrepreneurial Start up Fund.

WBEC ORV Executive Director, Sheila A. Mixon & Trailblazer Award Winner, Alice Houston, Owner, HJI Supply Chain Solutions

Lynn Moore, CEO, HJI Supply Chain Solutions interviewing her mother and our Trailblazer Award Winner, Alice Houston

Congratulations to all of our award winners and job well done! View the complete list of award recipients below.

WBE Ohio Advocate of the Year - Jeanne Parlin, Harrow Blue

WBE Kentucky Advocate of the Year - Cathy Stafford, Ad Venture Promotions

WBE West Virginia Advocate of the Year - Karen Wing, Walker Transfer Powell

Regional Corporation of the Year - University of Kentucky

National Corporation of the Year - Eaton Corporation

WBE Supplier of the Year - Hunter International, Inc.

WBE B2B ($10M - $25M) - BOOST/Shumsky

Corporate Advocate of the Year - Lynnise Smith, OhioHealth

WBE Volunteer of the Year - Tina Macon, AllMac & Associates

Done Deal - Louisville MSD

Director's Award Recipients: Quiana Barbee, Andrew "Andy" Butler, Tara Abraham, Jill Frey, Laureece Johnson

Trailblazer Award Honoree - Alice Houston, HJI Supply Chain Solutions

This year's ORV BDP luncheon took place on Tuesday and consisted of a panel moderated by Dr. Rea Waldon along with a panel of our ORV BDP alumni. On Wednesday, we had our keynote luncheon where we heard inspiring words from our keynote speaker, Holly Wiedemann, founding President of AU Associates, Inc.

They encourage small businesses to apply to be a qualified Louisville Water Small Business Equity (SBE) program member. Only Louisville Water SBE program members can bid on certain Louisville Water projects, and Louisville Water will determine what those projects are. Their SBE program generally includes bidding on construction, construction sub-contracting, professional services, or general services contracts for more than $30,000 but less than $250,000. They are offering workshops on the requirements and the application process. Please sign up for a workshop by clicking here.

Visit LouisvilleWater.com/procurement-sbe for benefits of the program, how to apply, FAQs, and information on training sessions.

Please visit this website to check all available solicitations and preview the bid without logging in. Remember, you must register to download the bid documents. Registration is free: click this link to register.

If you have difficulty registering, please send your email to [email protected]  with your username, email address, first name, last name, organization, and phone number. A confirmation of your registration will be sent to you confirming receipt of your registration.

All responses must be received on or before the date and time indicated on the bid opportunity and sent by email to [email protected].

For bid opportunities please visit here

Learn More

The advertisements for all bids, RFPs, and more can be found here.

RFPs from Fayette County Public Schools are available and can be downloaded by registering here www.fcps.net/bids.  

This month, we are shining light on our Corporate Member, JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPMorgan Chase & Co is dedicated to the development and utilization of qualified diverse businesses from historically underrepresented groups including companies owned and operated by minorities, women, military veterans, disabled veterans, service-disabled veterans, people with disabilities and members of the LGBT+ community. They have spent $11 billion with diverse suppliers since 2015 and continues to increase that number as they remain dedicated to their mission.

Hello everyone! I'm Lynn Child, Principal founder & President of CentraComm Communications, LLC – A Cybersecurity Company. At CentraComm, we help our customers minimize cyber risks so that they may thrive, by offering risk management, IT, and cloud services. I started my business In 2001, after discovering a community need for robust broadband during the era of dial-up. Working with our regional community leaders and economic development team, CentraComm was formed to create the services needed to support continued growth and prosperity through robust access to the Internet and its related business support services.

One of my many passions is to work with companies and helping them understand the significance of the treacherous world of cyberattacks. Helping businesses protect their assets, people, and facilities so that livelihoods are preserved is my goal and is the goal of my CentraComm team. We are Cyber Warriors!

We've been certified since 2016, thanks to the advice and counsel of fellow WBE, Ellie Halter, and I joined the Leadership team in 2021. I am still very much “learning the ropes” of what the Forum is and how to contribute, but by learning from my fellow Forum members, I have found my interaction and involvement to be professionally and personally fruitful. In just my first year of being on the Forum, I've gained several interactions with high-powered and successful WBE’s and learning opportunities. Networking, mentorship, and support are key foundational components of Forum membership along with business growth.

I think participation in our Forum is important as it builds bonds among our sisterhood, creates a path for continued growth in Forum leadership, and helps nurture and support our other fellow WBE’s. In sum, the Forum provides a venue for continuous learning, improvement, and growth. What benefit do you receive from being highly engaged in WBEC-ORV? The benefits gained are through networking, learning, and mutual support. There are times when challenges seem too daunting, and my fellow WBE sisters are there to offer advice and encouragement. In addition, educational opportunities enhance my professional and personal growth as well. As a Forum member, what do you do to give back to the network? My goal as a Forum member is to learn as much as feasible about WBENC and its work and then pass this information along to my other fellow WBE’s. Mutual support for professional and personal growth remains top of mind, too. In addition, I have shared and continue to share my knowledge about the need for diligence in cyber. I have been blessed to do business with several of my fellow WBE’s. For example, Renee Cogan of ALE, contracted with CentraComm to do a cyber risk assessment so that she met government mandates and was positioned not to lose government business. CentraComm contracted with Gabby Christman of HunterInternational to find IT talent. Molly Zraik of The Baz Group contracted with CentraComm to do a cyber risk assessment and continues to be engaged so that we may assist her business as new cyberattack techniques emerge. Thank you, Renee, Molly, and Gabby!

The best piece of advice that I can share with newly certified WBEs is to simply get involved. Learn as much as you can from the corporates, WBENC, your regional organization, and each other. Be willing to take calculated risks and ask for advice along the way. Our WBENC sisterhood is here to help each of our businesses grow and prosper. So reach out and get active!

The Women's Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV) mission is leading through an innovative, collaborative, and engaged group of Corporates, Government, WBEs, and Advocates. We are a catalyst for growth and sustainability by adding more Corporate Partners & WBEs in the Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia region.

WBEC ORV is a regional partner organization of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and provides certification to women-owned businesses in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. WBEC ORV operates under the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati's Business Development and Entrepreneurship through a collaborative effort with WBENC. Click the link below for more information.