NAWBO-NYC assisting women grow businesses.

Lynn A. San Andres, recently named president of the National Association of Women Business Owners-New York City Chapter, is leading the charge to assist women business owners through this long stretch of economic adversity. The organization is redoubling its efforts to generate powerful women-to-women connections in creating more successful businesses, new partnerships and supportive friendships.

President of The Mason Alexander Group, Ltd., a commercial real estate company specializing in office, retail and restaurant leasing, San Andres founded her company in 1998 following more than 17 years of real estate experience.

"NAWBO-NYC is a leader in helping women grow their businesses," says San Andres. "During these tough times, an organization like ours can be invaluable for entrepreneurs who need to be resourceful in weathering the economic storm." No stranger to the organization, she has served on the Board since 1992 and served as its benefits chairperson.

San Andres sees her leadership challenge as three-fold:

* Find ever more creative ways to assist women business owners in New York City,

* Represent a diverse constituency, and

* Strengthen the city policies concerning women owned businesses.

"NAWBO-NYC offers women a support system, contacts and business opportunities that can't be found within any other organization," says the graduate of Connecticut College. "I have seen the most amazing collaborations emerging from NAWBO-NYC. The energy, intellect and creativity are what members value most of all."

For instance, Diane Coles started Image Heart several years ago using all NAWBO owned businesses--and today is a big success story. Maralyn Dolan of Integrated Printing and Graphics met another owner of a printing firm and, vavoom! bought her company.

The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy estimates that there are 6.2 million women-owned firms today, employing 9.2 million people and contributing $1.15 trillion in sales and revenue to the U.S. economy. According to the Center for Women's Business Research (the Center), there are nearly a quarter of a million (230,765) majority-owned, privately held women-owned firms in New York City. Women own more than a quarter (27%) of all privately held firms in the New York metropolitan area. In the five years from 1997 to 2002, the center estimates that the number of women-owned firms in the NY metro area has increased by 15%.

Those numbers represent businesses owned 51% or more by women. They do not include one of the fastest-growing segments of the economy: Rapid-growth businesses, either publicly traded or with investors, that are headed by women and whose controlling stocks are women-owned. With women opening businesses two to three times the rate of all businesses, those numbers have increased significantly since 1997.

NAWBO-NYC holds twice a month programs on issues concerning business development and/or management skills. The chapter has an active diversity committee as well as a committed public policy committee seeking to make a mark on the legislative agenda locally and statewide. Members also form groups to generate new business leads.

The chapter's annual Signature Awards dinner, which will be held March 18, 2003, recognizes women who best exemplify the commitment, determination and endurance that it takes to create a successful long-term business. Awardees must own and operate their own businesses in New York.