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Why Women Win continued open up the possibility of obtaining more government contracts. "We don't like having all of our eggs in one basket," Ceman says. Being a certified woman-owned business enterprise (WBE), as Aurora Manufacturing is, will also help it to gain more business. The federal government must meet a "diversity spend," or a percentage required on every project to go toward women- or minority-owned businesses. The percentage varies according to the project. "It's one of those things that once clients realize that you're a womanowned business, it's like a feather in your cap," says Carol Van Vreede, owner of Skyline Exhibit Resource in Green Bay. "They go, 'Really, that's awesome, you meet certain criteria that is difficult to achieve in some cases.'" "Fairly regularly, companies will contact us, sometimes from southern Wisconsin or companies that may not even be on our radar, realizing that we are a womanowned exhibit house." – Carol Van Vreede, owner of Skyline Exhibit Resource in Green Bay Qualifications to become a certified WBE include: » A woman or women must own and control at least 51 percent of the company. » The woman owner must serve as president or CEO and be active in the company's daily management. » Ownership and leadership positions must be held for a minimum of six months. In 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration also launched a contracting program for womenowned small businesses (WOSB) in particular, providing wider access to Inspired by Innovation We are committed to taking a unique approach to guiding you through your legal issues. BROOKFIELD | GREEN BAY | MADISON | MILWAUKEE | OSHKOSH www.dkattorneys.com 10 | / insight on manufacturing • September 2013 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g .c o m