Welcome!
 

It is my pleasure to be among the first to welcome you to the Southern Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners - NAWBO website.
 

You are viewing the collaborative efforts of a group of women that are pro-active business leaders not only here in Southern Nevada but internationally. It was in 1974 that twelve women business owners gathered to trade information and on July 7, 1975 NAWBO was incorporated and just three years later the first chapters were formed; Southern Nevada arriving on the scene.
 

We would be proud and happy to have you among us. It is our desire to provide you with substantial direct benefits from membership. You will find many of those benefits listed here. Best of all, you will be able to count among those benefits the opportunity to rub elbows and share ideas with women like you, women with the courage to put their dreams into action.
 

We are in an exciting year of transition. You can be part of setting the path for NAWBO Southern Nevada by joining a committee to help us work on changing our chapter to comply with the changes of the national organization. Perhaps you would just like to get to know your fellow members better. In any case, you will be offered the opportunity to join one of the following committees: Awards, Business Development, Education, Finance, Hospitality, International Advocacy, Marketing, Membership, Public Policy, and Women of Distinction Awards. As our Past President, Renee Ryan-Thrailkill always says, "You can't collect a dividend unless you make an investment."


NAWBO National has a new governance structure as of February, 2006 that includes a direct connection among members nationwide by means of Special Interest Groups and Strategic Forums. There are five Strategic Forums with which we can each sign up to share ideas, opportunities, problems and solutions. Those Strategic Forums are: Diversity/Market Development, Economic Development, Education and Leadership, International Advocacy, and Public Policy. Each forum follows key strategies to achieve common goals. At the last national conference, Brenda Stout attended the International Advocacy Forum workshop just because she  thought she should bring this back to our membership since Las Vegas is such an international city. What Brenda learned was that she already has an international component to her accounting practice and your business may also, without your being aware of it.
 

The second line of communication among members is one that we can create for ourselves, Special Interest Groups. Among expressed interests are Family Businesses, Businesses by Size, Mentoring Young Girls, etc. If there is not already a special interest group that has been established that speaks to you, NAWBO now offers a platform to find others who share your passion.
 

Both opportunities for expanded NAWBO relationships are available through NAWBO National's web site, www.nawbo.org. Please look into the Strategic Forums and Special Interest Groups that can help you build and strengthen your business and support you as a businesswoman.
 

Of course, we will still have our local meetings, seminars, mixers, and special events that make our Southern Nevada chapter so strong. We look forward to seeing you often.
 

Warm regards,