Success Stories
WBEC ORV highlights some of our amazing member’s success stories.
Bernita McCann
President & CEO, Next Generation Fuel
As a certified WBE, Bernita participated in the Ohio River Valley Business Development Program in partnership with Procter & Gamble, as well as the WBENC Energy Executive Program. Leveraging certification to build a solid foundation for her business through these educational opportunities, Bernita has since secured international contracts with Fortune 100 companies. Paying it forward, this spring, Bernita launched her F.U.E.L. Your Success Speaking Tour making her first stop in her home state of Mississippi, where she spoke to over 800 students empowering them to look past fear and doubt and tap into their greatness. Bernita shares “from connecting us to corporations to providing a base of highly skilled women business owners, we can always count on the support of WBEC ORV”.
Jill Frey
President & CEO, Cummins Facility Services, LLC
Cummins Facility Services, LLC has been a certified WBE for 10 years, but emphasizes “with anything in life, the more time and effort you put into something, the more you get out of it”. Jill was one of several certified WBEs that WBEC ORV arranged to meet with Rockwell Automation during the WBENC National Conference. Rockwell Automation was a new corporate member interested in helping communities and women/diverse businesses. After several meetings, Jill met with their procurement team and is now working with Rockwell Automation at their Wisconsin location. Jill shares “I love this relationship and am grateful to the ORV team for helping us to connect”.
Nancy Wiser
President, Wiser Strategies
Nancy stepped up to Chair the new Lexington WBE Forum Luncheons two years ago, without any real idea of the benefits that would result. She has since gained a new business partner that she had been searching for several years, someone to help prepare invoices for her highly customized business. The same woman-owned business now provides support for her intricate project management system. Also gaining several opportunities to grow, Wiser Strategies landed a new client that would not have happened without networking through WBEC ORV and the support of a WBEC ORV corporate member who offered for her to speak during an WBE to WBE event. Nancy shares “we appreciate all that WBEC ORV has done and will do to help us grow and mature as a business. Our sincere thanks to everyone”.
Molly Zraik
President, The BAZ Group
Certified in 2015, Molly understood from the outset that WBENC certification is not a “short-term marketing play” but a powerful long-term growth strategy. Taking full advantage of the local, regional, and national events offered allows BAZ to share their services and capabilities with a wider audience of corporations and fellow WBEs globally. Recognizing that the IT, telecom expense control and managed services market is extremely saturated, the BAZ Group leveraged opportunities not available in the open market to meaningfully engage with corporations such as Fifth Third Bank, CHEP USA, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, and Kellogg Company. The result? Multiple opportunities resulting in partnerships that drive revenue growth and positively impact the BAZ bottom line. Molly shares “WBEC ORV provides a host of open pathways and unprecedented access to corporations that continues to support our firm’s growth”.
Angela Morrow
President, LubriSource Inc
Certified since 2017, Angela Morrow graduated from the Ohio River Valley Business Development Program in partnership with Procter and Gamble, as well as the Marathon Petroleum LEAD Business Development program. Through active engagement of the WBEC ORV RPO, Angela has connected and expanded engagement with key clients. Through 1×1 matchmaking events, she has garnered a deeper relationship with Honda Automotive and truly values the WBE to WBE connections through partnerships with other certified women owned business. I love the tribe of women business owners and value the business development opportunities. LubriSource, would not be where it is today without WBEC ORV”.