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September 18, 2017                                                                                                    Jacqueline Lara, MWBC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                               Jacqueline@marylandwbc.org, 240-305-2133

 

HSBC Awards Rockville Economic Development, Inc. $25,000 Grant to Support

Maryland Women’s Business Center

Rockville, MD, September, 18, 2017–HSBC USA has awarded Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) the HSBC Involve CEO Prize of $25,000 to support the Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC). The grant will run through August 2018, and will support MWBC’s StartRight! 2017 and 2018 Women’s Business Plan Competition, their second Annual Awards Luncheon, their new International Trade program and a special financial literacy program geared toward women entrepreneurs.

“Thanks to this new partnership, we’ll be able to volunteer and share HSBC’s business expertise to support the success of hundreds of leading women entrepreneurs, and ultimately their local communities,” said Patrick J. Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer| HSBC USA.

MWBC’s grant was made possible through HSBC’s new volunteer program, HSBC Involve, which makes it easier for HSBC staff to engage in high impact volunteer projects in their communities. Through this program, nearly 60 HSBC employee-driven projects will be funded this year, but MWBC is only the second project to be awarded the highly-competitive “CEO Prize”.

“We are thrilled to receive this support from HSBC and to be a part of their mission to promote economic security through entrepreneurship,” said Laurie Boyer, Executive Director of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. “The MWBC will be able to build on its success and expand our programs for women business owners in this region.”

Since 2010, MWBC has helped over 5,000 women entrepreneurs start, sustain and grow women-owned enterprises. Workshops and trainings are now available in Spanish to meet the growing market of Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. In July 2017, MWBC launched a six-week government procurement series for mid-to-advanced level businesses in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. This fall, MWBC will expand their offerings to include Hi-Tech Roundtables for women-owned businesses and an International Trade program.

“The MWBC is very excited about this new partnership with HSBC. It is through the dedication and commitment of our funding partners that we are able to provide the valuable services that support our entrepreneurs.” said Kiesha Haughton, Managing Director of Maryland Women’s Business Center. “Our goal is always geared towards expanding the types of programs that will enable our women entrepreneurs to achieve scalable growth.”

Learn more about Maryland Women’s Business Center at www.marylandwbc.org

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About The Maryland Women’s Business Center

MWBC was established in 2010 as a program of the non-profit Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) to help people throughout the region start and build successful women-owned enterprises that are positioned for long-term growth. MWBC conducts specialized training, offers individual business counseling, and provides unique resources.  Our special initiatives include a Childcare Business Development Program and StartRight! Women’s Business Plan Competition. https://marylandwbc.org/ Stay connected on FacebookInstagram , LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Rockville Economic Development, Inc.

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) is a public-private partnership formed in 1997 by the City of Rockville, Maryland to strengthen and broaden the city’s economic base through business entrepreneurship, expansion, retention, and recruitment programs. REDI offers guidance and support to help businesses at all stages of growth launch, locate and expand in Rockville.  For more information, contact 301-315-8096 or visit www.RockvilleREDI.org.