WBEC SOUTH LAUNCHES WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER SOUTH IN MEMPHIS TO SUPPORT WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES

Community & Economic Development Leader Vonesha Mitchell Joins as Executive Director; Non-Profit Operations Expert Lamisa Hasan Joins as Program Manager

NEW ORLEANS – July 8, 2021 – The Women’s Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), announces that it has launched the Women’s Business Center South in Memphis, Tenn. The U.S. Small Business Administration grant funded center, is part of the SBA’s historic expansion of WBCs in 20 rural, urban and underserved communities across America. WBC South provides women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in the WBEC South territory—Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle—with training, tools and resources to sustain and grow their ventures. WBC South is open for business and located in the Crosstown Concourse, Suite 434, a thriving mixed use development a few miles west of downtown Memphis. A grand opening celebration will be held on Monday, August 23rd at the center.

Memphis native and community and economic development leader, Vonesha Mitchell, has been hired as the Executive Director for WBC South. She has 15 years of business consulting, procurement and workforce development experience. Most recently, she served as Director of Community & Economic Development at the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, where she led recruitment and support for businesses doing business with and surrounding Memphis medical and academic institutions. Prior to that, she served as Senior Business Management Consultant and Trainer for Communities Unlimited, providing training and strategic planning for the organization. She is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Memphis and holds a Masters of Arts degree in Teaching from the University of Memphis and a Bachelors of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership also from the University of Memphis.

The organization also announces that non-profit operations expert, Lamisa Hasan, has joined WBC South as Program Manager. She has extensive experience in non-profit operations and development for programs related to social justice. Lamisa brings diverse professional experience to her role including education curriculum development, community organizing and political campaigns. Most recently, Lamisa served as Mayoral Fellow in the Shelby County Mayor’s Office where she worked on policy and legislation initiatives, special events and communications. Prior to that, Lamisa worked as a Program Manager for Kaleidoscope Kitchen, the first kitchen incubator program in Memphis. She is a graduate of Rhodes College and has a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Film Studies.

“Memphis has long been recognized as one of the top cities for women entrepreneurs,” says Phala Mire, CEO & President, WBEC South. “We’re excited to support women-owned businesses in Memphis in a sustainable way. With Vonesha’s leadership skills and community network, WBC South will play a pivotal role to the success of women entrepreneurs as they emerge from the pandemic and plan for the future.”

SBA’s WBCs are a national network of 136 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, marketing and procurement.

To find out more and to register for WBC South’s programs, trainings and upcoming events visit wbcsouth.org or wbecsouth.org. You can also call 901-426-7959 or email the team directly at vmitchell@wbecsouth.org or lhasan@wbecsouth.org. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @womensbusinesscentersouth.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow and expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit https://www.sba.gov.

About Women’s Business Enterprise Council South
For more than 25 years, the mission of the Women’s Business Enterprise Council South (WBEC South) is to advance and enhance business opportunities between corporations and women-owned businesses through a reputable certification program, education and professional growth opportunities. WBEC South facilitates the nationally recognized and most relied upon certification program, WBENC Certification, for the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle. Learn more at https://wbecsouth.org/.

###
Media Contact:
Julie Lilliston, Julie Lilliston Communications LLC
615-663-2121 or julie@julielilliston.com