The Women Presidents’ Educational Organization (WPEO) was founded in 1998 by Dr. Marsha Firestone. The WPEO functions as a regional partner organization (RPO) of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s leading advocate of women-owned businesses and third party certification organization.
- WBENC is a coalition of corporations, regionally focused women’s business organizations and certified women business owners.
- The WPEO issues the nationally recognized certification to qualifying women-owned businesses in New York, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia.
- WBENC certification is based on a review of WBENC standards and site visits by a committee comprised of trained, committed and confidential volunteers.
- WBENC guidelines are the most widely recognized and respected third-party certification.
- Nearly 800 of the Fortune 1000 Corporations require that a woman-owned business be WBENC certified before providing access to their supplier diversity programs.
- There are over 10,000 WBENC certified women-owned businesses nationwide. The WPEO currently has over 1,400 certified WBEs in the NY & DC regions.
