Case, National City join forces to bring ATHENAPowerLink® program to region
Program helps women business owners find expertise, capital to expand business
November 4, 2004 | For more information: Jeff Bendix (216)-368-6070
 Case Western Reserve University is joining forces with a local bank to bring a powerful new tool to Greater Cleveland that can help women business owners grow their enterprises.
The university has signed a memorandum of understanding with National City to bring the ATHENAPowerLink program to northeast Ohio. The program provides women business owners access to advisors who can help them expand their business. Case is participating through its Institute for Technology Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship (InTICE.)
“ATHENAPowerLink is a terrific program with proven results in helping women business owners, and one to which our university can bring significant resources,” said Robert Hisrich, the A. Malachi Mixon III Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case’s Weatherhead School of Management and InTICE director. “Case’s participation in the program is also consistent with President Hundert’s vision of the university as an important part of the community.”
 “At National City, we care about doing what’s right for women entrepreneurs, and we are proud to be a part of ATHENAPowerLink, providing women business owners the resources they need to succeed,” said Brighid Consilio, National City Women’s Business Advocate and program chair, Northeast Ohio ATHENAPowerLink. “Women across the country are demonstrating their business savvy with unprecedented bottom line results, and with the ATHENAPowerLink program entering Ohio, opportunities have never been greater for women to network and access economic resource partners.”
According to Hisrich, northeast Ohio ranks 28 among the nation’s metropolitan regions for women business owners, with more than 69,000 women-owned firms employing more than 131,000 people. “There is no question about the strength of women entrepreneurs in this region and this program will help empower their success,” he said.
Under the program, women business owners submit applications to a local governing body, describing their business and the specific problem or obstacle for which they are seeking assistance. The governing body recruits a committee of advisors with expertise tailored to the needs of the specific business, and which meets with the business owner five times over the course of a year.
The governing body for northeast Ohio includes representatives of Case and National City as well as representatives of media organizations, private industry, higher education, chambers of commerce and civil rights organizations.
In order to participate in ATHENAPowerLink, a company must be at least 51% owned by a woman, have been in operation for at least two years, have at least two employees, have clearly defined objectives with explicit reasons for seeking help through the program and generate annual revenues of at least $250,000 if in manufacturing or retail or $100,000 if in a service business. The governing body selects participants by reviewing applications, interviewing the business owner and making site visits.
Shauna G. Soom, program director for ATHENAPowerLink, says that intangibles play an important role in deciding who participates in the program. “In order to really benefit from the program the business owner has to be willing to reveal everything about her company and accept advice on how to do things better,” she explains.
According to Soom, businesses that have participated in the program have experienced an average 88.5% increase in sales, 37.6% increase in net income, 56.6% growth in personal income, 36.3% growth in full-time employees and 75% increase in part-time employees.
The ATHENAPowerLink program began in Pittsburgh in 1992. In 1998 the ATHENA Foundation purchased world-wide rights to the program and has since expanded the program to 14 other regions, including northeast Ohio. To obtain more information or to apply for the ATHENAPowerLink program, contact National City Women’s Business Advocates Brighid Consilio at 330-375-8026 or Sara Aros at 216-257-4119.
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826
and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western
Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research,
service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally
recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering,
Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.
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