The Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC) has pivoted and repositioned our programming to meet the needs of our local, regional and national women veteran and female military spouse entrepreneurs. To this end, we have a conference line up or industry experts from across the nation.
You are invited to join us at our Third Annual National Business Women's Week Conference always focused on “Driving Business Performance -navigating a path to success for women veteran owned businesses!” Our program is designed to engage women veteran owned businesses with the larger entrepreneur community to drive business performance.
2020 THEMES • BEYOND COVID 19: NEXT LEVEL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATIONS
Join us for a day of engaging activities that will keep you informed and connected to the resources you need to succeed!
PROGRAM:
Virtual Breakfast/Lunch
Thanks to our sponsors at 7 Eleven, attendees will receive a code upon arrival to our Zoom Platform to have breakfast or lunch, delivered to your door, (where available). Jump on early between 8:30AM-9:00AM to receive your code and schedule your delivery
Women Warriors Winning The Business Battle
• A Year in Review
Get connected as the VWEC announces the launch of 3 new programs to help our businesses recover, stabilize and Thrive!
Join us for a series of Critical Business Conversations with leaders in the small business arena.
Get connected via our Vendor Visits & Ongoing Networking Sessions.
Attend a series of Transformational Talks - Learn from those leading change and transformations that are helping businesses move to the next level.
Interested in being a sponsor, vendor or partner for this event? Email us at info@veteranwomensec.org
Critical Business Conversations:
Critical Business Conversations • 7 Eleven
Learn how 7 Eleven has worked to meet the everchanging needs our communities during COVID 19, while engaging small businesses for expanded opportunities. We're discuss the impact of the pandemic on franchising and the road ahead.
Larry Hughes, Vice President Operations, 7 Eleven
Larry Hughes - Leadership Biography Larry Hughes is the Zone Vice President of the Lone Star (Texas) business at 7- Eleven, Inc. In this capacity, he has overall P & L responsibility for a business unit operating nearly 700 7-Eleven stores across the state. Prior to this assignment, Larry was the Vice President, Training and Diversity, responsible for the design and delivery of all training activity and materials for all associates and 7-Eleven Franchisees, as well as organizational leadership development and diversity initiatives. He has also served 7- Eleven as the Vice President, Franchise Systems, responsible for development of franchise policies, franchise marketing and sales, and franchisee engagement platforms. He joined the company in 2009, serving as the Division Vice President in the Pacific Northwest, responsible for the performance of nearly 900 convenience stores extending along the West Coast from the Canadian border to Bakersfield, California.
Prior to joining 7-Eleven, Larry served in a variety of leadership assignments in the retailing and hospitality sectors. He managed a retail division for T-Mobile USA, earning the coveted “Fire in the Belly” award for the top performing division two years in a row. Prior to that, he was a Regional Manager with Bath and Body Works, where he led turnaround operations in multiple regions.
Larry has also launched and led a not-for profit organization which focused on accelerating the growth of inner city-based businesses. As the Managing Director of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City – Kansas City, he led efforts that assisted more than 30 urban core-based entities with strategy development, systems evaluations, and identification of growth capital resources. He later applied the expertise he developed working with small and diverse businesses at ChevronTexaco, where he developed strategies to support $1.1 billion in purchasing from small businesses across 24 domestic business units while coordinating their Small Business and Supplier Diversity Program.
Larry earned his Doctor of Education in Human and Organizational Learning from the George Washington University and his Master of Business Administration in Strategy and Managerial/Organizational Behavior from the University of Chicago. He also earned a Master of Science in Management from Baker University in Kansas. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a Field Artillery Officer in both active duty and reserve components. His military leadership experiences include two separate company-level command assignments.
Critical Business Conversations • The Madison Service Group
In this rapidly changing political environment, small businesses need a place at the table where decisions are meaning that impact their day-to-day operations. The Madison Group has a long history of impacting change and now they have set their sights on helping women veteran. Learn how you can get connected.
Ann Sullivan, President, Madison Services Group, Inc.
Ann Sullivan is the President and Founder of Madison Services Group, a woman-owned company that provides government relations and federal business development services.
She brings many years of government relations experience in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, serving in key advisory roles. Ms. Sullivan works with the United States Congress and the Administration to garner national attention for the small business community. Her expertise includes government procurement, business development programs healthcare and tax issues affecting small businesses.
She currently leads the policy teams for the largest national association of women business owners and women in business, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO), Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, GovEvolve and the HUBZone Contractors National Council. She also recently launched the Women Veterans Business Coalition to add an advocacy voice for women veteran-owned businesses in Congress and federal agencies.
MSGI specializes in outreach to the small business community with an emphasis on women-owned and minority businesses. She is recognized as the driving force behind implementation of the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program and has been a featured keynote speaker and moderator on many procurement panels nationwide.
Ms. Sullivan is part of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and also serves on their GovConNet Council. Ann is the recipient of three prestigious Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, receiving the top honor in the categories of Lifetime Achievement—Business, Woman of the Year—Business Services, and Communications or PR Campaign of the Year—Public Affairs. She received the Enterprising Women of the Year Award from Enterprising Women Magazine and was honored by Professional Women in Advocacy for Excellence in a Federal Issue Campaign. Ann was chosen by Small Business Trends as a Top 100 Small Business Influencer, and the Sunlight Foundation named her as one of Washington’s four “perfectly bipartisan lobbyists.”
Elizabeth Sullivan, Vice President, Madison Services Group
Elizabeth Sullivan is Vice President of Government Relations at Madison Services Group focusing on federal procurement, small business and education policy.
Her expertise in government contracting includes shaping federal acquisition policy on Capitol Hill and analyzing federal procurement data to position companies to win federal contracts. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Studies in Law in Government Procurement and Cybersecurity at the George Washington University School of Law. She was recently featured on a panel at the Women Leaders in Defense and Aerospace Law & Compliance conference to give the small business contractor perspective on changing federal cybersecurity requirements.
Elizabeth recently led the formation of the Secure Supply Chain Consortium, a group of small and midsize federal contractors that seek to provide constructive input to decision-makers who are tackling difficult supply chain security problems, such as the implementation of Section 889 and the Department of Defense's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).
Elizabeth is a graduate of James Madison University, and holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to Joining Madison Services Group, Elizabeth was a Teach for America corps member in Chicago, IL. She currently serves as a member of the DC Teach for America Alumni Board.
Critical Business Conversations • Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm handling corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. Client service is part of their culture and permeates everything they do. Join in for a discussion about common legal pitfalls for small businesses and entrepreneurs, including key considerations for establishing your corporate structure, common issues when negotiating commercial contracts, how to navigate potential legal liabilities and risks as well as other issues affecting small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Patrick Quine, Associate at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Patrick is an attorney at Sheppard Mullin and represents public and private companies and private equity firms in various corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings and general corporate governance matters across a diverse spectrum of industries.
Critical Business Conversations • Women Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative (WVOSBI)
An advocate for increasing Woman Veteran Business opportunities in the Federal - Commercial Marketplace. Michelle's program is designed to bring together like-minded female veteran and non-veteran entrepreneurs to position and enable their success as well as remove obstacles that often stand in the way. Michelle will discuss how entrepreneurs can cultivate a growth mindset to transformation their business.
Michelle "G-I" Gardner-Ince , Director of Women Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative (WVOSBI), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Department of Veteran Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) plays a significant role in ensuring that programs, services, and support resources reach the Veteran small business community. As the Director of Program Development and Women Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative, Ms. Gardner-Ince leads the Department's efforts to develop programs that connect and enable underrepresented target groups with VA, the federal and commercial marketplaces to increase educational, employment and economic opportunities. She is the architect of the Department of VA's inaugural Women Veteran-Owned Small Business (WVOSB) Initiative. The program brings together like-minded female veteran and non-veteran entrepreneurs to position and enable their success and to remove obstacles that often stand in the way. The effort is known in the veteran and small business community as" VetBizLady or VetBizLadies."
Ms. Gardner-Ince has successfully led several Directorates within OSDBU. As the Director of National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE), Ms. Gardner-Ince led the NVSBE is the Department's premier event for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) to connect with Procurement Decision Makers and contracting experts from the federal and commercial marketplaces. She simultaneously served as Operations Director, where she led the management and delivery of services and products to OSDBU directorates, enabling 242 federal and contract staff to help veteran businesses. She oversaw the human capital, financial, security, administrative, logistical, information technology, and support functions that are critical to its mission. Focusing always on "people, process, and technology," her vision brings significant value to the federal government's largest Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).
Before being the Director of Operations, she was the Director of the Center for Verification and Evaluation, formerly known as The Center for Veteran Enterprise (CVE), within the OSDBU at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) from December 2011 to November 2015. As Principal of the only Federal Government program that audits and verifies ownership and control of Veteran-owned businesses for the Department of Veteran Affairs and other federal agency contract set-asides, CVE enabled $3.8B in contract set-asides making the Department of Veterans Affairs the leading supporter of Veteran small businesses. Under her leadership, CVE was certified as one of three ISO- 9000-1 registered organizations in the entire Department of VA. Further, she successfully led the historic transformation of the new CVE to achieve historical precedence: 100% of applications processed within the Veterans First law timelines for the "first time" in the history of the Veterans' First Program. The CVE program is known within the supplier diversity and veteran small business communities as VetBiz.gov and is recognized as the "Gold Standard" for Veteran Small Business certifications.
Ms. Gardner-Ince is a highly decorated Air Force Veteran and a retired Colonel, having served 27 years supporting Veterans, military troops, and their families. Before the creation of her own small business, G-I Strategic Solutions LLC., an advisory and consulting firm, she held numerous executive-level positions. Her experience spans customer-centric business operations, training, consulting, strategic collaboration, and directing award-winning complex global operations. One of her most significant leadership roles was as the Commander (Senior Vice President) of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Pacific Region where she led a $1.8 billion-dollar retail, food, and services business, with full profit-loss responsibility, that employed 7000+ associates who provided goods and services to over 350,000 military, U.S. government civilian and State Department patrons and their families. While in command, her leadership led to the top highest grossing military exchanges in the world two years in a row. AAFES is the U.S. military's largest retail operation.
Ms. Gardner-Ince's mission is to be "About the business of America's Veterans – serving those who continue to serve America." Ms. Gardner-Ince has a unique perspective in that she has never been without a military ID Card. She is not only a veteran, a military spouse, but she grew up in an Army family and is originally from Albany, Georgia. She was commissioned by her father and Vietnam Veteran, Colonel Arthur Gardner. She holds a bachelor's degree from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, and a master's degree from Troy State University, Troy, Alabama. She is a Dale Carnegie and John Maxwell leadership coach/trainer. She resides in the Metro Washington DC area and is married with two children.
Vendor Visits
Prize for Best Business Branded Background
Transformational Talks:
Transforming Your Game Plan for Power Moves • Women Calling the Plays • POWERHANDZ Inc.
When opportunity knocks will you be ready? Learn from one of the female movers and shakers in the sports industry how women are calling the plays and transforming their game plan for power moves.
Danyel Surrency Jones, Co Founder and CEO of POWERHANDZ
Danyel Surrency Jones is a proclaimed "Vision Chaser", business strategist and philanthropist, with two decades of executive leadership and sales & marketing experience. She is the Founder and Principal Business Strategist of Danyel Surrency Jones Consulting and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of POWERHANDZ Inc., a global product tech company that designs innovative solutions for athletic training and rehabilitation. In 5 years, its core athletic training products have been sold to consumers in >86 countries, established a digital footprint with millions of youth and professional athletes, skills trainers and professional sports organizations. These milestones have captured the attention of major media outlets like CNBC, Sports Illustrated, Essence and Bloomberg Business; positioning POWERHANDZ has one of the most innovative companies in multiple sports verticals, healthcare and technology.
As a CEO and Business Strategist, Danyel has the unique ability to create and articulate a clear vision, while crafting the next steps to best in class execution plans. Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Danyel developed skills in several executive leadership roles for two multi billion dollar healthcare companies, Philips Medical Systems and Medtronic Surgical Technologies. She led several sales, marketing, product management, IMC and operations teams in her 16 year corporate career, and become the 1st women elected as President of Medtronic’s enterprise sales resource group.
In addition to these roles, Danyel has a passion for the community, women and youth. She is the Co-Founder and President of POWERHANDZ’s non-profit entity, The Power To Give Foundation (50lc3). Its mission is to provide athletic and academic programs to youth in underserved communities. A portion of every product purchased with POWERHANDZ is donated to fulfilling its mission. She also mentors women entrepreneurs, serves on the Advisory Board for the Dallas Sport Commission and the North Texas Food Bank.
Danyel is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, obtained a MBA from Florida International University and is a graduate of Wharton School of Business Marketing Leadership Program. She has been featured in several national business publications and served on entrepreneur and leadership panels. Most recently, Danyel delivered her TEDx focusing on diversity and inclusion. She currently resides in Frisco, Texas with the joys of her life, her husband and business partner Darnell Jones and their daughter Hartley Rose and son Harper Jaz.
Transforming the Construction Experience • Women Strengthening Communities in Construction • Meta Team
An in depth discussion with four powerful women committed to strengthening communities in construction. Learn how they have teamed up across the nation to transform the construction experience.
Erica Jackson – Director-at-Large and Co-owner
Following in her family’s footsteps, Erica Jackson entered and began the third generation in the roofing industry, specializing in the federal market. Erica worked in her family’s businesses learning the intricacies of her impending legacy. Prior to creating her own roofing company Erica worked with several federal contracting, roofing and general construction firms where she honed her strategic planning, negotiation, contract management, budgeting, operations management, production management and federal contracting skills. Utilizing the years of construction and federal contracting experience, Erica was now ready to put all that she learned to use and start her own company.
In 2004, Erica became the owner and President of CYE Enterprises Inc., a general construction federal contractor with a heavy focus on roofing, concrete and building renovations. CYE Enterprises, Inc. has opened the door for Erica to work and build relationships with other contractors and firms from all fields, including mentoring a few as they began their federal contracting journey.
CYE Enterprises currently services numerous federal agencies including the Navy, Army, Air Force and Bureau of Prisons. The entire team at CYE Enterprises is well versed in roofing and general contracting. The knowledge and experience that the team has allows CYE Enterprises to deliver project success, quality workmanship, and outstanding results to all clients.
Erica’s passion for leading, managing, improving processes, increasing efficiency and interacting with people has led her to become a member of many organizations. Currently she is a member of the following organizations – National Roofing Contractor’s Association, where she has served on the Board of Directors and currently contributes as a member of several NRCA committees, National Women in Roofing, National Contract Management Association, and Roofing Alliance.
Candace Klein – CEO and Co-owner
A highly respected and accomplished business and civic leader, Candace Klein excels at building and guiding for-profit and not-for-profit organizations to exceptional performance levels by leveraging a combination of keen business strategy and passion for service to others.
With proven success in managing the daily operations of one of only a few certified woman-owned commercial roofing contracting companies in the U.S., she has developed and implemented strategic plans to ensure the company’s profitability in volatile markets while delivering exceptional customer value and service.
Candace is a second-generation roofing contractor and has served as President of Klein Contracting Corporation for 27 years. She holds certifications in a number of roofing specialty systems and is a member of several national and state roofing industry professional organizations.
Candace believes in building community through both her company and her service. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Humane Society and Sheppard Center. She is an active Rotarian and is a past-President of Rotary Club of Buckhead and past Assistant Governor for Rotary District 6900.
Sherri Miles – Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Co-owner
Sherri is a fourth-generation roofing contractor and entrepreneur. After graduating from Georgetown University, Sherri worked as a paralegal in a real estate law firm in the Washington, DC area for two years. Before returning full time to the family business, Sherri worked for another fourth-generation roofing company, L.E. Schwartz & Son, Inc. in Macon, GA. That year LE Schwartz was named the Family Business of the Year in Georgia. Since returning home in 1994, Sherri has positioned J.D. Miles & Sons, Inc. and Miles Roofing, Inc. as the pre-eminent roofing and construction firms in Virginia. She has steered the companies through enormous growth, navigated through the great recession, diversified their offerings, opened new locations, and founded and formed new companies developing and investing in real estate. Her current focus has been developing curriculum and implementing education and training for the next generation of a diverse workforce and guiding family-owned businesses through growth, change, and succession.
Sherri has taken leadership roles in a variety of organizations including: National Roofing Contractors Association, Virginia Roofing Professionals, Builders and Contractors Exchange, National Association of Women in Construction, Downtown Norfolk Council, D ’Art Center, Lead Hampton Roads, Volunteer Hampton Roads, Old Point National Bank, Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church Vestry, Virginia Aquarium, Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters, Junior Achievement, and Civic Leadership Institute
Kelly B. Van Winkle – Director of Protocols and Co-owner
In 2011, after owning and operating an industrial tool supply facility for 7 years, Kelly joined the family business, King of Texas Roofing Company, LP. As a third-generation operator in the commercial construction space, she currently serves as the company’s President and CEO.
Kelly exemplifies her love for industry, community, and humanity through many various platforms. Most recently she served as a Vice Chairman on the Executive Committee of the National Roofing Contractors Association. She has previously served on the Association’s Board of Directors and is a former President of the National Roofing Legal Resource Center (NRLRC). While Professional Development and Educational Chair for the National Association of Women in Construction in Dallas (NAWIC), Kelly organized educational and leadership opportunities for women. She also remains dedicated to her work as a Trustee with The Roofing Alliance, the philanthropic arm of the National Roofing Contractors Association. At Duke University, Kelly is a former member of the Nasher Friends Board. Kelly also serves as a member of the leadership council of Duke Women’s Impact Network. She especially enjoys mentoring undergraduates participating in the I&E (Innovation & Entrepreneurship) Program.
Vendor Visits
Prize for Best Business Branded Background
Transforming Your Federal Contracting Strategy • Getting in the Game • Contracts and Grants, LLC
Learn more about the lurcrative opportunities available via federal contracting. Identify how to develop a real strategy for engagement from developing internal business systems, contract standards, building business capacity as well as the value of subcontracting and teaming.
Linda Chatmon, CEO Contracts and Grants, LLC
Linda Chatmon is a Federal Acquisitions Expert and Business Growth Strategist with nearly 25 years of experience helping businesses succeed in the federal market.
As the CEO of Contracts and Grants, LLC, Ms. Chatmon heads a team that is responsible for more than $13.2 billion in government contract negotiations and awards.
FOUNDER, CONTRACTS & CAPITAL SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - Contracts & Capital is Sports and Entertainment connects high-profile athletes, celebrities and entertainers to lucrative opportunities in the federal and commercial contracting space. The flagship initiative is 8 to 14.
CREATOR, FAST TRACK ACADEMY - The Fast Track Academy is an immersive, real-world training program that teaches strategies successful government contractors use to find and win government contracts.
FOUNDER, THE APP DIVA - The App Diva, LLC is an Atlanta-based app developer that creates on-demand service apps designed specifically for buy entrepreneurs, Athletes, Celebrities, and Entertainers.
POLITICAL APPOINTEE - In 2017, Linda Chatmon was appointed to the Doraville TAD Advisory Board, a team created to oversee a development that has $37 million in contract set-asides to be awarded to local small businesses.
AUTHOR, THE ROAD TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS - The Road to Government Contracts is a concise playbook that offers readers 10 actionable strategies that to transition into the federal contracting space.
