FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2006

Columbus, OH -- Governor Bob Taft today announced that he is accepting nominations for the 2006 Governor's Award for Women's Excellence in Enterprise, to recognize the accomplishments and economic contributions of some of Ohio's most successful women business owners.

"With more than 30,000 women-owned businesses generating more than $28 billion in Ohio, women business owners are critical contributors to our state's economy and business climate," Taft said. "I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments and economic contributions women entrepreneurs make to our local, state and national economies."

Ohio's 30,455 women-owned businesses with employees represent 15.1 percent of total businesses with employees and generated more than $28 billion in business revenues in 2002. Nationwide, there are 916,768 women-owned businesses with employees that generated $804 billion in business revenues in 2002. Women-owned firms accounted for 28.2 percent of all nonfarm businesses in the United States, 6.5 percent of their employment and 4.2 percent of their receipts.

Awards will be presented in the following five categories: Manufacturing/High Technology, Service, Wholesale/Retail, Real Estate/Construction and Rising Star (in business less than five years). Potential recipients must be female majority owners of companies with annual revenues in excess of $1.5 million, except for Service ($1 million) and Rising Star ($750,000).

The Ohio Department of Development's Small Business Development Center will select the winners based on information received in submitted nominations. An awards ceremony, sponsored by American Electric Power and Battelle Memorial Institute, will be held September 27, 2006 in Columbus.

Nomination forms are available online at www.entrepreneurohio.org or call (800) 848-1300, ext. 6-2711 for additional information. Nomination packages must be submitted by June 5.