Leading City Council representatives, including Speaker Christine Quinn as well as Land Use Chair Melinda Katz, among numerous other City Council members, met for WBC’s Annual City Council Breakfast at the Tower Kitchen at the Woolworth Building.

WBC continues to make its presence known at local and regional conferences such as CUNY's annual MWBE conference.

WBC visited with several Federal agencies including the Army Corp of Engineers, the Small Business Administration and select Congressional Officials including: Anthony Bell, Senator John Kerry, Hon. Nydvia Velazquez, Hon. Anthony Weiner, Hon. Yvette Clarke, Hon. Nita Lowey, Hon Joseph Crowley, Hon. Gregory Meeks and Hon. Carolyn Maloney. WBC was also invited to attend the Building & Construction Trades Union Legislative Breakfast at the Washington Hilton and there met Senator Charles Schumer and other labor leaders.

WBC held a special Joint Membership Meeting with NAWIC, New York City Chapter in which WBC presented an overview of the Changing Legislative Agenda for Women.

WBC took a leadership role in the special McGraw Hill Construction MWBE Roundtable: MWBEs- The Time is Now. The roundtable produced a special supplement distributed to over 10,000 readers in the buildings industry.

WBC met with Empire State Development Corporation’s Division of Minority and Women Business Enterprise. That meeting with Michael Jones Bey set the groundwork for a special bonding initiative that was held later in the fall.

WBC participated in the MTA conference on Moving People Who Move the World.

Following last year’s successful awards dinner, WBC held its 2008 Annual Champion Awards Dinner & Gala at the new New York Times Building. Attended by over 350, the dinner signaled the important accomplishments women are making to the building industries throughout our State. WBC honored industry champions and trailblazers. A formal awards presentation at the Times Center theater was followed by a reception.

This year’s award winners included: Governor David Paterson, First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson, Amanda M. Burden, Chair, New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning, Faye Wattleton, President, Center for the Advancement of Women and Trustee, Columbia University, Eric R. Dinallo, Superintendent of Insurance, Lynn M. Schubert, President of the The Surety & Fidelity Association of America, Anne Malloy-Trenkle, New York State Liaison, Helmets to Hard Hats and Deborah Wathen-Finn, Director of Transit and Rail, Ch2M Companies, Ltd.

Along with Manhattan Media and City Hall’s “On/Off the Record, “ WBC hosted a Special Breakfast with Charles Rangel who spoke to issues of concern to both men and women in the building industries.

WBC continues to be on the forefront of advocacy for MWBE participation. WBC President Sandra Wilkin WBC Willits Point Testimony asking the City Council to approve the proposal to re-develop Willets Point. Wilkin says the plan will provide a major economic shot in the arm for New York City providing for nearly 6,000 construction jobs in addition to creating hundreds of permanent jobs in its retail sector, the new hotel and convention space and on-site services. The Willets Point M/WBE and Local Hiring Task Force calls for the creation of a Minority/Women Business Enterprise Contracting Program to be implemented by the Developer for all contracting activities related to Willets Point Redevelopment Project.

A first meeting with Columbia University developed some insights into how women builders can participate in Columbia’s new expansion at Manhattanville and the ongoing capital improvement work at Columbia University.

WBC met with Crain’s Publisher Jill Kaplan and Faye Wattleton to discuss the role of women in New York’s Building Industries. Include Photos

WBC attended New York State’s 15th Annual Competitive Edge Conference. This annual conference is created to maximize opportunities for MWBEs.

On October 20, WBC met with newly appointed Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Christopher O. Ward. The focus of the conversation centered on how to increase capacity building and bidding opportunities for women-owned businesses. WBC will continue to advocate for increased MWBE participation at the Port Authority, working with Mr. Ward and his team.

On October 24 and 25, join WBC is at DASNY’S annual conference at the Albany Marriott. Special meetings with DASNY CEO Paul Williams and Commissioner John Egan of the New York State Office of General Services were highlights of the trip.

WBC visited with several Federal agencies including the Army Corp of Engineers, the Small Business Administration and select Congressional Officials including: Anthony Bell, Senator John Kerry, Hon. Nydvia Velazquez, Hon. Anthony Weiner, Hon. Yvette Clarke, Hon. Nita Lowey, Hon Joseph Crowley, Hon. Gregory Meeks and Hon. Carolyn Maloney. WBC was also invited to attend the Building & Construction Trades Union Legislative Breakfast at the Washington Hilton and there met Senator Charles Schumer and other labor leaders.

As the New York City Council considered a bill to expand the opportunities for women and minority business enterprises in the building and construction fields, WBC President Sandra Wilkin testified in support. The bill proposes legislative requirements for applicants for city tax benefits under ICAP (Industrial Commercial Abatement Program which replaces the former Industrial Commercial Incentive Program [ICIP]) to include WMBEs.

Represented by WBC President Sandra Wilkin, WBC attended the Hispanic Caucus in Puerto Rico.

This special bonding seminar offered in conjunction with leading representatives of the insurance industry provided an in-depth exploration of what small business construction firms need to know to obtain and increase their bonding. The program was led by WBC Board Member Sharon Emek and sponsored by the New York State Economic Development Corporation’s MWBE Division.

WBC serves as an advisor to the New York City School Construction Authority. This year as in the past, WBC members participated in SCA’s Annual Forum, Building Schools, Building Opportunities.