Welcome to our 2nd annual Salute to Women Entrepreneurs newsletter. March is Women's History month and the entrepreneurs profiled in this newsletter are absolutely phenomenal! We have seven unique and extraordinary stories of dreams, disappointments, innovation, and success. These special risk-takers have succeeded against all odds. They have endured, kept the faith, and stayed the course. They set the bar of excellence for us all. Please take the time to read each of their stories. I guarantee that you will be filled with pride.

Women entrepreneurs are the backbone of Maryland's economy. There are more than 120,000 women-owned businesses in Maryland. That is one-third of Maryland's more than 400,000 firms. In the U.S., nearly 48% of all privately held firms are owned by women. According to the Center for Women's Business Research: one in 11 adult women is an entrepreneur; women-owned businesses are growing at 2 times the rate of all privately-held firms; one in 7 employees in the U.S. works in a woman-owned business; and as of 2004, women of color owned an estimated 1.4 million privately-held firms in the U.S.

Another area of focus for this month's newsletter is the 2006 Disparity Study. On March 13th, the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs announced the extension of the current State of Maryland's Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) program until 2011. We introduced legislation (HB205) in support of this effort. The Study (covering years 2000-2004), found that women and minorities are still discriminated against in the marketplace. The silver lining in all of this is that this independent study substantiated that the reform efforts to the MBE Program, instituted by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., have had a positive effect. The Study's recommendations parallel the initiatives that the Ehrlich-Steele Administration have implemented and continue to put in place to help level the playing field for all Maryland businesses.

For additional women entrepreneurs profiled by the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs, visit http://www.btimes.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=67715&sID=4.

Coming Soon -- Entrepreneurial Radio just for you! Tune in to WOLB 1010 on Wednesdays at 10:00 am beginning in May.