Business Development Insights from WBENC's 2012 Conference

Online, June 23, 2012 (Newswire.com) - President and CEO of The Personnel Department, and International Director of the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO), Leslie Meingast is attending the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) annual WBENC Conference at The Peabody Orlando and Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida. The conference, taking place June 19th-21st, 2012, is dedicated to helping women-owned businesses leverage themselves in the market by providing tools and contacts to compete in business.

Founded in 1997, WBENC is the largest third-party certification body for businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the US. WBENC organizes the annual conference to support and advance the "success of Corporate Members, certified women's business enterprises (WBEs), and government entities". Year after year, the conference fosters the development of supplier diversity initiatives across international borders for 11,000 WBEs and 250 corporate sponsors including procurement managers from Fortune 500 Corporations such as Accenture, Chevron, and Marriott.

As a mentor, speaker and diversity advocate, Leslie Meingast brings global perspective and a true passion for helping WBEs overcome barriers blocking equal access to procurement with major corporations. Speaking from the conference, Meingast explains, "if women-owned businesses in Canada increase their business revenues by just 20 percent, they would increase Canada's GDP by $1 billion". She concludes, "the WBENC Conference is an incredible business development medium that provides women access to game-changing procurement opportunities".

As President and CEO at The Personnel Department, Leslie Meingast places great value on diversity in the workplace. The Personnel Department is a WEConnect Canadian Certified Women's Business Enterprise and Employment Equity certified business. As a result of this diversity, The Personnel Department is able to provide comprehensive and creative HR solutions to global clients.