In 2024, get ready to be completely captivated by the WBENC National Conference, the premier event for women-owned businesses in the nation. This year, we’re turning up the volume and bringing an electrifying atmosphere with our inspiring theme: AMPLIFY! This conference is not just an event; it’s a movement, a powerful surge that elevates, empowers, and energizes. Brace yourselves for an experience that promises to AMPLFIY your voice, your business, and your impact.
We’re thrilled to introduce our Corporate Member Co-Chairs, dynamic leaders who are at the forefront of championing diversity and driving innovation. Their expertise and passion for empowering women entrepreneurs will be instrumental in steering our conference towards new heights.
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. They are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 733,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and they are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships.
Accenture combines their strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. They are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song. These capabilities, together with the culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable them to help their clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. Accenture measures their success by the 360° value they create for their clients, each other, their shareholders, partners and communities.
Nedra Dickson, Managing Director, leads Accenture’s Global Supplier Diversity and Sustainability Programs across 20 countries. Nedra is alsoresponsible for Europe Procurement Operations in 30 countries. A seasoned and awarded executive, Nedra possesses over 20 years of Technology Consulting, Operations Management, Procurement Sourcing and Category Management experience with Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries. With strong expertise in Procurement transformation and Supplier Relationship Management, she has managed over $2B in contingent labor spend.
In addition, Nedra Dickson, Chair of the WBENC Board of Directors, shares her favorite inspirational quote by Shirley Chisholm, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
At Bristol Myers Squibb, they believe in the power of science to address some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Their focus on these unmet needs comes during a remarkable time, when unprecedented scientific breakthroughs are advancing the treatment of disease as never before in human history.
Bristol Myers Squibb is represented by Rondu Vincent, Executive Director, Global Supplier Diversity & Sustainability at Bristol Myers Squibb. In this role, he leads an award-winning program that is responsible for all internal & external supplier diversity and small business operations, community outreach and strategy alignment with Bristol Myers Squibb’s inclusive Strategic Sourcing and Procurement Organization. Rondu is also responsible for supporting the company’s procurement sustainability goals, including specific standards for suppliers regarding social responsibility, environmental stewardship, ethical practices and governance.
On Rondu’s experiences at the WBENC National Conference, he stated “I strongly urge everyone to participate in this transformative experience, where we collectively raise our voices to amplify the influence of women in business and entrepreneurship. Join us in Denver, in March 2024, in orchestrating a new chapter in the narrative of women’s entrepreneurship and reshape the future of women innovators. Let’s be part of this movement and make a difference together.”
Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. They believe affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy is essential to achieving a more prosperous and sustainable world. Chevron produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance our business and the industry. To advance a lower-carbon future, we are focused on cost-efficiently lowering our carbon intensity, increasing renewables and offsets in support of our business, and investing in low-carbon technologies that enable commercial solutions.
David Feldman, representing Chevron as a Corporate Member Co-Chair, is the Supplier Diversity Advisor in P/SCM and a long-time Chevron employee with current responsibility for managing Chevron’s Supplier Diversity program which advocates for the utilization and development of local, small, and diverse suppliers to support the company’s international and domestic operations. Feldman assumed this role in 2014 where he promotes an inclusive work environment and a supply chain reflective of the communities where Chevron operates. Dave represents Chevron with the local, small, and diverse supplier community and national and local nonprofit advocacy organizations.
David shared, “Chevron is proud to Co-Chair the 2024 WBENC National Conference in Denver, home to our Rocky Moutain Business Unit. Our sponsorship reflects Chevron’s commitment to the WBENC network and women’s business development – both at the national and regional partner organization level. We know an outstanding event is being planned that will provide a great opportunity for engagement that advances our mutual success and growth..”
Ernst & Young LLP exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.
Velislava Ivanova, EY Americas Chief Sustainability Officer, spearheads the advancement of EY’s sustainability objectives and initiatives, focusing on enhancing the firm’s long-term value as well as that of its clients. She leads the EY Americas Climate Change and Sustainability Services Practice, aiding clients in meeting their ESG goals, managing risks, and fostering innovation. Under her leadership, a team of over 500 professionals thrives, and she oversees the overall growth of the practice across the Americas. Additionally, Veli serves as the EY Liaison Delegate at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Velislava’s professional journey includes significant contributions to a wide array of sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, oil and gas, chemicals, mining, utilities, and food and beverage. She has played a pivotal role in aiding numerous Fortune 500 clients in crafting and executing their sustainability strategies and programs, emphasizing the integration of sustainability across their value chains and products.
Velislava shared, “Leading companies are embracing sustainability and ESG not just to put a brake on harmful practices but also to accelerate business and societal transformation and to protect and create value. By focusing on benefits and embedding sustainability in all business functions, companies can discover new sources of competitive advantage. As Co-Chair of the WBENC 2024 National Conference, I’m proud of EY’s efforts to elevate and educate women-owned businesses on ESG strategies to support their business growth and build innovative solutions for EY, our clients, and communities around us. We look forward to connecting at the conference and building a better working world.”
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is a leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2023 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy.
Representing Wells Fargo is Ron Tate Jr., Head of Supplier Diversity and Sustainability. His career includes Supply Chain leadership roles at multinational corporations including Bank of America, AIG, Delta Air Lines and Procter & Gamble. He is passionate about Supplier Development and has led the implementation of several highly effective Supplier Diversity and Supply Chain Sustainability Programs in the Banking Industry. He has an impressive record of community involvement including serving on the Boards of 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte, Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council, and the Institute for Supply Management.
Ron shared, “Wells Fargo is honored to serve as a co-chair for WBENC’s 2024 National Conference. We believe diversity promotes innovation, opens doors, and creates partnerships that fuel the economy. This annual event is a unique opportunity to learn, network, connect and celebrate with women owned businesses, supplier diversity professionals and industry leaders. “
We encourage you to learn more about these amazing Corporate Member Co-Chairs, their supplier diversity programs and needs, and how you could contribute. Please thank them for their dedication to women’s business enterprises – and tell them yourself at the Conference in Denver, CO March 19-22, 2023!
