The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

The Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award

The NAWBO Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award recognizes a women business owner who has made a significant contribution to the status and visibility of women-owned firms and to the empowerment of women entrepreneurs both nationally and internationally. This award was named after Gillian Rudd, who served as a national president in 1987-88 and contributed both strategy and personal charm to NAWBO’s early political advocacy activities. She also was instrumental in helping NAWBO establish the National Foundation for Women Business Owners—now known as the Center for Women’s Business Research.

The 2010 Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award is presented to Terry Neese who has blended her entrepreneurial zeal with her passion for building a legacy for future generations of women entrepreneurs. Terry served as NAWBO president in 1990-91 and went on to co-found Women Impacting Public Policy in 2001. In 2007, she founded the Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women whose mission is to empower women to grow their businesses, pursue greater entrepreneurial ventures and become more active public policy advocates. Through its program “Peace Through Business,” the Institute provides a training program designed to provide long-term business education for women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda through in-country educational programs, leadership development, mentoring and opportunities to “pay it forward.”

Terry is the epitome of a business leader who has dedicated her professional career on the bedrock belief that when women are able to participate equally and fully in business, greater economic stability and peace ensues. NAWBO is proud to honor Terry Neese with the Gillian Rudd Business Leadership Award.

For more information, visit the NAWBO website.