Baltimore Regional Chapter
The National Association Of Women Business Owners

A Brief History

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the only organization solely dedicated to strengthening the earnings, visibility, and growth potential of women business owners. NAWBO meetings, publications, political, and social activities are geared to the specific needs of the woman entrepreneur.

• In 1976-77, two women from the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in Washington, D.C. took part in a radio interview. They asked women business owners to call in for information and to register information that would allow them to be listed in a directory of women business owners. Mimmie Erdman from Baltimore called for information, was listed in the directory, and one year later became a member-at-large of NAWBO.

• Around the same time, there was a conference sponsored by the Small Business Administration to determine the needs of women business owners in Maryland. After the formal part of the conference was over, some of the Baltimore women business owners talked about networking and National NAWBO was mentioned. Interest in starting a local chapter was expressed, and a date and time to meet at Mimmie's was set. The national organization sent a folder on how to start a chapter. Six women attended. There were three meetings over the summer and the numbers swelled to fifteen, which was enough to start a chapter.

• On October 1, 1979, twenty-seven (27) women met in a restaurant on Howard Street at Antique Row to elect the Chapter's first President Mimmie Erdman.

• The Chapter might not have gotten off the ground had it not been for Sue Waller and Tommie Tarsell providing secretarial help and office expenses. Many others were involved and are still active in the Chapter today.

• The Woman of the Year program was initiated in 1981 and the first member to be honored was Tommie Tarsell. She was followed by:

• In 1983, the first Maryland Directory of Women Business Owners was printed under the direction of Tommie Tarsell and a blue ribbon committee of persons, both in the public and private sector. (This directory is no longer available.)

• In 1987, Marcia Wieder, a Baltimore Chapter member, started another tradition by making April NAWBO Month. Events throughout the month focused on membership and reaching out into the community. In addition, four women active in business and community affairs were honored for their contributions to Baltimore. Although not exclusive to NAWBO Month, other events included workshops on doing business with the city or state and a networking wine and cheese evening at WBAL with the Mayor proclaiming April NAWBO Month.

• NAWBO is an official member of Les Femmes Chef d’ Enterprises Mondiales (FCEM), which is the world organization of women entrepreneurs.