Transcript of a WBC event segment where India (WBC board chair) presents the inaugural WBC Legacy Award to Edie Fraser. The exchange highlights Fraser’s long career as an entrepreneur and founder of multiple women’s organizations, her commitment to advancing women-owned businesses, and themes of collaboration, gratitude, celebration, and action.
As the chair of the board of wbc, I'm honored to present the inaugural WBC Legacy Award. This is the first WBC Legacy Award and it will be given to an individual who embodies the values of this month and this day Faster together to accelerate action and impact for generations. The individual is someone who is collaborative, optimistic, action oriented and and innovative. This individual has also been an entrepreneur many times over, building over five businesses. Diversity best practices. A founding member of C200, founder of STEM Connectors, Million Women Mentors and WBC. This individual wants every woman to flourish. Her motto involves the following Gratitude, Celebrate Faster together. And just last year she published with Andy Simon, Women Mean Business. 500 insights from 102 extraordinary women leaders. Topping her over 30 years of reporting on how women have reached the highest echelons. And most importantly, she does this with action, optimism, celebration and a commitment to to each and every one of us in this room and beyond. To the amazing Edie Fraser, on behalf of wbc, I'm honored to offer you the WBC Legacy Award.
Thank you India. And you're part of my legacy. And to you and to Gwyn Young and to all associated with WBC and our missions and millions of others dedicated to equal position, pay and power and to the advancement of women in all sectors and to our male allies. Thank you. It's with a great gratitude that I dedicate to all of us who share our mission. And as we all look to upward to rise and then we lift back when we started wbc, it was because there was a need to collaborate and not compete. We made history in ringing the New York Stock Exchange bell for quality. And every day we dedicate ourselves to to lead with intention and purpose. There's such a need to galvanize, immobilize our forces. We shine a light on lifting us together up with our voices. There's a passion for WBC to use data as a benchmark to aim ever higher. We're strongest when we cheer each other and build purpose. We are one another's cheerleaders. We celebrate and elevate each other. We stand by action impact. We're unstoppable and emboldened with mutual support. So thank you so much.
Edie. I'd like to ask you a couple of questions if that's okay.
Love it.
Okay, let's go. So what inspired your commitment to supporting women, particularly women owned businesses?
First of all, mission for service. I remember hearing President John F. Kennedy's speech of what are you doing for your country? And I then came to Washington to be a desk officer for the Peace Corps for five years. But when Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were murdered, I turned my sights to working the poverty program and hit across the nation to all centers of America and our communities. I had then an opportunity to lead health care for the federal government. Subsequently I joined an international PR firm and then opened up my own firm in 1975. That's 50 years ago. From consumer affairs to women's issues, I found the strength and the resolve. Finally when I started my own firm, I was just grateful as you are India to many. But to Corning Glass and eventually IBM and Toyota as allies. I reflect every day with gratitude as an entrepreneur to gain their trust and proud then to recognize it was my mother and dad who founded Casual Corner with others and then worked with policies and women advancement were all at the core to be an advocate for women's issues and policy issues. It was thinking about 44 years ago when we started the committee of 200 National association of Women Business Owners. And now 50 years for that that we all gave to women's organizations which is why WBC coordinates. We subsequently worked not only to build those organizations, but how proud that six and a half years ago we started WBC to be such a haven for others to turn to together to move each other forward. But it's also to learn to say thank you as we go along the way. So thank you India. Thank you Gwen. Thank you to my sister Sharon Reynolds who leads the entrepreneurs of purpose with me. And to all out there, just know that we've got a mission and nothing will stop us because we're big and bold.
So I hear. Big, bold, brave, kindness, gratitude and all of the things that just you embody. So thank you Edie Frazier again.
