Washington, DC – Leslie Saunders, CEO of Lutz, FL and Charlottesville, VA-based Fly Fast, LLC and president of Leslie Saunders Insurance and Marketing (LSIMI), has been appointed to a three-year term on the National Women’s Business Council.  Saunders will represent Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), of which she is a member of the board and of the WBENC’s Women’s Enterprise Leadership Forum.  Established in 1988, LSIMI provides innovative insurance products and private placement of unique risks to a variety of national and international risks firms.

The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan Federal government council that serves as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.  The Council's mission is to promote bold initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces -- from start-up to success to significance.  Members of the Councilare prominent women business owners and leaders of women’s business organizations.

“I’m pleased to welcome Leslie Saunders to the National Women’s Business Council,” said Tami Longaberger, Chair of the National Women's Business Council and Chair and CEO of The Longaberger Company.  “Leslie’s experience as an owner of two businesses and a champion of small and women-owned businesses nationwide makes her a valuable asset to the Council.  I look forward to working with her to promote opportunities for women business owners.”

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations and the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States.  Founded in 1997, WBENC works to foster diversity in the world of commerce with programs and policies designed to expand opportunities and eliminate barriers in the marketplace for women business owners.

In addition to her contributions to WBENC, Saunders also holds memberships in Airport Council International (ACI), the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and the Independent Insurance Agents Association.  She has served on the ACI best practices committee for airport DBE compliance, was past president of the Tampa Independent Insurance Agents and as a charter member of the Florida ESOP chapter.  Saunders was an Enterprising Women of the Year Award winner in 2007 and a Working Woman’s Excellence Award winner in 2001, while her company LSIMI was previously named to Tampa Bay Business Journal’s “Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses.”  In addition, Saunders participated in NWBC’s 1988 Women’s Economic Summit and the President’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit in 2002.   She has been featured in publications such as Auto Rental News, Travel Agent, Frequent Flyer, (Minority Business Enterprise) MBE magazine and Airport Retail News.

“I am honored to be named to the National Women’s Business Council.  As a long-time advocate for women-owned businesses, I look forward to working with the Council to bring the priorities of women entrepreneurs to the President, Congress, and the SBA,” said Saunders.  “Serving on behalf of Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, I hope to promote expanded opportunities for women-owned businesses through my work on the Council.” 

As the nation's advocate for the more than 10.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., the National Women’s Business Council works to promote increased access to affordable health care, access to capital, access to federal contracts and international markets, and access to the information and expertise women business owners most need to succeed.  Women-owned businesses currently represent nearly half (48%) of all U.S. firms, employing 19.1 million people and generating nearly $2.5 trillion in sales.

The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan Federal government council created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.  Members of the Councilare prominent women business owners and leaders of women’s business organizations.  For more information about the Council, its mission and activities, contact: National Women’s Business Council, 409 3rd Street, SW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20024; phone: 202-205-3850; fax: 202-205-6825, e-mail: info@nwbc.gov; Web site: www.nwbc.gov.