OKLAHOMA CITY — America’s largest bipartisan women’s business organization, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), appointed Kathie Dones-Cars, Executive Services Group LLC, Detroit, Sandra Pott, Morgan Stanley, Troy, Mich., and Nancy Quarles, State of Michigan, Southfield, Mich., as National Founding Partners.

“Women business leaders represent an emerging power base in American politics that positions women entrepreneurs as the critical swing vote in the 2004 elections,” said Terry Neese, President of WIPP. “We’re thrilled to have the active leadership of Dones-Cars, Pott, and Quarles heading the WIPP efforts in Michigan.”

The WIPP State Advocate Director builds membership, develops partnerships, and activates the grassroots in her state. The National Founding Partners represent WIPP at the national level working on federal strategic and leadership initiatives.

“WIPP is activating a new voter bloc of more than 10 million women entrepreneurs,” said Neese. “This diverse group of Asian, African, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Native American women is not yet locked into any political party or a presidential candidate. Women business owners are growing faster than any other business segment, are more likely to vote than the general public, and are more effective in persuading how others will vote. They’re waiting to hear from each party and presidential candidate about the issues that impact their business and their future.”

A May 2003 report by the Center for Women’s Business Research found nearly half (46 percent) of all privately held businesses are women-owned. Between 1997 and 2002, the number of women-owned businesses grew 11 percent, nearly double the rate of all privately held firms.

“One in 11 women in the U.S. is now a business owner and this trend has been growing for more than a decade,” said Neese. “The impact of women business owners on future elections will be formidable and WIPP is leading the way.”

For more information, call 888-368-5759 or visit www.wipp.org.

Publication date: 09/29/2003