Houston businesswoman supports the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women through $1,000 sponsorship
March 9th, 2010 Posted by adminHouston businesswoman supports the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women through $1,000 sponsorship
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – MARCH 9, 2010 – The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women has announced the addition of June Ressler, CEO and president of Cenergy International Services, to its 2010 sponsors with a donation of $1,000.
“June is such a great example of how American women are helping women entrepreneurs around the world,” said Terry Neese, founder and CEO of the Institute. “In addition to her financial generosity, June has gone above and beyond as a mentor in our PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program.”
The Institute, a 501c3 organization, created the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program, which provides long-term business training to female entrepreneurs from Afghanistan and Rwanda. Education is provided in both countries, as well as in the United States. Since the program’s inception in 2006, 150 women have been directly trained and educated.
In addition to business training in the classroom, the program also provides the students with a weeklong mentorship with an American woman business owner. From her Houston office, Ressler mentored 23-year-old Asma Ataie, a businesswoman from Afghanistan, during the ’09 program. Ataie co-owns a small business development firm.
“I am always looking for opportunities to help women succeed, and that’s what PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS is all about,” Ressler said. “My time with Asma allowed me to give back to someone who doesn’t necessarily have a lot of opportunities. I am so proud to support the program and to help fellow women entrepreneurs like Asma succeed.”
Ressler has already applied to be a mentor for the 2010 program.
Cenergy International provides skilled personnel, such as engineers and geologists to the oil and gas industry for drilling and completing oil and gas wells.
During Ataie’s time at Cenergy, June helped teach her about budgeting and financials, as well as marketing.
Before the mentoring component of the program, PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS students participate in In-Country Education, an intensive eight-week business course taught to 30 women in each country that culminates in the development of a business plan. Fifteen women are then selected to travel to the United States for Leadership Development for higher-level business and leadership training, as well as a weeklong mentorship with an American woman business owner and an International Women’s Economic Summit, a two-day conference focusing on the strength and contribution of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda, the obstacles they face, and the free economy solutions to peace. Each student is then committed to Pay it Forward, where students pass on for one full year the blessings and knowledge they have received through the program to their fellow countrymen and women.
