(San Antonio, September 1, 2017) – Written By: S. David Ramirez
To celebrate women entrepreneurs in San Antonio as part of the national American Business Women’s (ABW) Day, the UTSA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will host its first ABW conference on Friday, Sept. 22 at the UTSA downtown campus. The event will feature a daylong schedule of panels, exhibits, and interactive media projects. Speakers from business, educational, and non-profit sectors will participate in the multifaceted event, applauding the contributions of women to the San Antonio economy.
Panelists include representatives from UTSA, the Office of the Governor’s Economic Development and Tourism Department, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Women’s Business Center, San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, the Texas Veteran’s Commission, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, and local entrepreneurs.
“We are very excited to host this inaugural conference at UTSA. We hope this collaborative event will showcase and spotlight the tremendous influence of businesswomen,” said Mariah Kilbourne, UTSA SBDC training coordinator and conference co-chair.
District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales will open the event. The Conference features four tracks: Women, Equity and Entrepreneurship; Women Succeeding in Non-Traditional Fields; Women in International Cybersecurity Spaces; and Future Trends in Entrepreneurship.
“Much of the forward action in entrepreneurship belongs to women and the fast pace they are contributing to the economy. This conference is a pause to honor the contributions of women to the business community,” said Lisha García, UTSA certified senior business advisor and conference co-chair.
American Business Women’s Day was created by Senate Joint Resolution 196 and signed by President Ronald Reagan as Proclamation 5532 in September 1986. The proclamation recognizes the significant contributions women have made to the economy and to the competiveness of the United States internationally.
The conference is open to the public. Tickets are available for $40 for individual registration or $300 for a table of eight. Registration includes parking, lunch, and conference materials. Tickets can be purchased though the UTSA SBDC Training Department via web: utsa.ecenterdirect.com/events/27266 or phone: (210) 458-2047 or (210) 458-2746.
About the UTSA Institute for Economic Development: The UTSA Institute for Economic Development is dedicated to growing businesses, creating jobs and fostering economic development. Focused on building the economy one business at a time, the Institute consists of 10 centers and programs that provide professional business advising, technical training, research and strategic planning for entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders. These programs serve Greater San Antonio, the Texas-Mexico border area as well as regional, national and international stakeholders. Together with the federal, state and local governments, and private businesses, the UTSA Institute for Economic Development fosters economic and community development in support of UTSA’s community engagement mission. In 2016, the Institute generated direct regional economic impact of 7,517 jobs, started 591 new businesses, $447 million in new financing, $78 million in new tax revenue and exceeded $1.4 billion in new sales, exports and contracts. For more information, visit www.iedtexas.org.
