MADISON – Eve Hall, president and chief executive officer of the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, will be the keynote speaker Nov. 15 at the second annual Wisconsin W·O·M·E·N reception in Madison.
The reception will be held at the newly designed M3 Insurance building, 828 John Nolen Drive, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It precedes the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, which starts the following morning at Madison’s Monona Terrace Convention Center.
Hall’s comments will be framed by two other successful women business leaders who will introduce the program and lead audience participation.
Introducing Hall will be Michelle Umberger, managing partner and patent attorney at Perkins Coie in Madison. Umberger practices patent and intellectual property litigation and was named Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” in Madison and Wisconsin for patent litigation in 2015. She was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America from 2013 to 2016 in commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation and patent litigation.
Heather Wentler, co-founder, director and mentor at the Doyenne Group, will lead a question and answer session following Hall’s remarks. The Doyenne Group is a networking and mentoring group for women entrepreneurs and business owners of the Madison area.
Hall will discuss her perceptions of the progress of women and minorities as business owners in Wisconsin, highlighting what needs to happen in the state’s largest cities to provide opportunity for all based on her background in education, business, community action and government.
Hall has expanded the membership of the Milwaukee-based AACC from 175 to more than 250 members since becoming president and CEO in 2012. Under her leadership, the AACC has created a revolving loan fund for small businesses, is working with partners to launch a food and beverage incubator, and is working with others to better leverage mass transit to connect people with jobs.
Hall, who holds degrees from Florida A&M University, UW-Milwaukee and Cardinal Stritch University, will also discuss the work of the AACC and the challenges and opportunities facing women executives.
Hall was appointed in 2004 to serve on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. She also serves on the Governor’s Task Force on Minority Unemployment. She was recognized by the Milwaukee Business Journal as a “Woman of Influence in 2014 and one of “16 Business Executives to Watch in 2016.” In 2015, she was recognized as “Woman Executive of the Year” by Biz Times for her work in reviving the chamber.
In addition, Hall is co-founder of the African American Women’s Project Fund, created in 1999 to provide funding to organizations supporting the well-being of women and girls, and has raised more than $200,000.
Hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council, the Wisconsin W·O·M·E·N reception highlights the role women are playing in the state’s entrepreneurial economy. The acronym stands for women, opportunity, mentors, entrepreneurs and networking. The event is open to men and women; for more information and to register visit here.
The cost is $25 for Early Stage Symposium registrants and $50 for general admission. Parking at M3 is free; cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Sponsors are Promega Corporation and Perkins Coie with additional support from M3 Insurance and the Doyenne Group.
The Tech Council is the independent, non-profit science and technology adviser to the governor and Legislature, with events, publications and outreach that contribute to Wisconsin’s tech-based economy. To join, go to www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com or call 608-442-7557.
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