WHEREAS, There are approximately 1 million women-owned businesses in California and women-owned businesses constitute 48.6 percent of all privately held businesses in California; and

WHEREAS, Women-owned businesses in California employ approximately 2.9 million people and generate approximately $406 billion in revenue; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., California ranked first in the number of privately held, women-owned businesses. Women-owned businesses have grown by 51 percent in California with a 56-percent increase in revenue for women-owned businesses and a 4-percent increase in employment; and

WHEREAS, California has 12 Fortune 100 companies, all of which have at least one woman director, and 75 percent of which have two or more women directors; and

WHEREAS, California ranks first in the nation with the greatest number of Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander women-owned businesses and fourth for the greatest number of African American women-owned businesses; and

WHEREAS, Minority women-owned businesses comprise 35 percent of all women-owned businesses in California, making California the third leading state where minority women-owned businesses comprise the greatest share of all women-owned businesses; and

WHEREAS, September 22 marks the founding date in 1949 of the American Business Women’s Association, the mission of which is “to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition”; now, therefore, be it