U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce Announces 2021 Women Contractor Award Winners
Washington, DC, March 2, 2021 – The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce® (http://www.uswcc.org) proudly announces our 2021 Women Contractor Award Winners to firms who have achieved outstanding success as suppliers in the federal contracting arena. Awards will be presented on March 2, 2021 during the National Small Business Federal Contracting Summit | Spring.
“Women-owned firms are very active and competitive in the challenging federal supplier marketplace,” says Margot Dorfman, CEO. “The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is proud to honor the growth and achievements of our women-owned contractors during Women’s History Month. By recognizing women-owned firms for their outstanding success as suppliers in the federal contracting arena we honor the achievements of these firms and lay the foundation for greater success and opportunity for the future,” adds Dorfman.
Award categories are as follows:
EMERGING STAR– awarded to contractors who received their first government contract award within the last two years and are on their way for future opportunities.
INNOVATION & PERFORMANCE– awarded to contractors who exhibit outstanding innovation and/or performance on a key contract that will significantly bolster their ability to secure future opportunities.
GROWTH MASTER– awarded to contractors who have achieved significant growth in the government sector over the last three years.
STELLAR– awarded to exceptional contractors who have shown exemplary growth, quality, and are positioned as leaders within the contracting community.
We extend our congratulations to the following exceptional women for the success of their firms.
Emerging Star: Sara Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO, All Women Leadership – AWL Strategies, LLC
In 2019, Sara co-founded All Women Leadership – AWL Strategies, LLC with partner and COO Holly Sydnor. AWL is a consulting firm that provides strategic communications, change and branding and marketing strategies to innovative, future-focused leaders. Sara Thomas works with her clients to craft agile communications strategies that engage people, transform culture, and create velocity. To date, public sector clients include the US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Patent and Trade Office, New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, and LA Metro.
The firm also provides pro bono mentorship to individuals and teams and gives back 5% of all profits to organizations helping women ascend to leadership positions and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help their local Washington, DC community fight hunger and homelessness.
Reference Remarks
“Sara delivers only high-quality work. Sara has been instrumental in providing guidance and recommendations on how we should communicate with Veteran Affairs staff. We can be confident when Sara says she will do the work that it will be done right and on time, if not ahead of time.”
Growth Master: Theresa Zandi, Principal Owner and Founder, Centurion Consulting Group, LLC
Theresa Zandi founded Centurion Consulting Group, LLC in December 2016 as a mission-driven firm, serving balanced commitment to ensuring financial success, promoting social responsibility, and strengthening her community by giving back to those in need. Simply put, she puts People First.
Centurion, a Woman-Owned Small Business headquartered in Northern VA, is a national IT professional services and consulting firm servicing the public and private sector by delivering relevant solutions for our client’s complex business and technology challenges. Starting at ground zero, Theresa helped secure multiple federal government subcontracts across civilian and health agencies (Dept of Commerce, US Census, SSA, CMS, NIH, etc.) via the following practice areas: Software Development & Engineering, Agile, Data Solutions, and Infrastructure & Security.
Reference Remarks
“From the very beginning, Theresa, has been a standout. Theresa has always gone above and beyond what is asked of her both professionally and personally.
Centurion is one of my favorite Subcontractors to work with and if anyone asks for a recommendation of a company to do to meet subcontracting needs, I always point to Centurion. Centurion treats its employees like family. There are so many instances where Centurion has gone above and beyond to help an employee out on a personal basis. They are a true model for how a subcontracting company should be run properly.”
Steller: Dorothea Spencer, President/CEO, D Gillette Industrial Services Inc.
Dorothea Spencer is President/CEO of D Gillette Industrial Services Inc., a multidiscipline, fabrication, repair, assembly, and engineering firm that she founded in 2002. DGI is a DoD contractor, working with the Army, Airforce, Navy, Coastguard, and DLA. Dorothea Spencer is not only committed in support of our nation and our warfighter she is committed to serve her community at large.
With a career spanning over thirty years, Dorothea is a certified Mechanical Engineer with expertise in project management, manufacturing leadership and innovations, Six sigma, and lean management. And she is a small business advocate and is currently working alongside PA Representatives in DC to ensure the voices of US Small Businesses continued to be heard on the Hill.
Reference Remarks
Since 2018, DGI business has tripled in size. Dorothea’s aggressive approach in pursuit of government work along with her passion to grow the community of Bangor, PA has enabled her to expand her business base. She is not only driven to provide best value for the taxpayer, she genuinely cares about the community. Reponses to her projects with the Navy have been that her firm “is the best small business manufacturing contractor we have ever worked with – she delivers ahead of schedule, provides best value to the taxpayer, and is not a burden to the procurement team.”
The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce has invited these exemplary women business owners to share their stories during our upcoming Growth Masters series. Meeting dates and times can be found at: www.uswcc.org/meetings.
The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce unifies the collective strength of women in the U.S. economy. Using a platform of influence, innovation, and opportunity, the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce works with and for its members to grow successful businesses and careers. For additional information, go to http://www.uswcc.org or call (202) 607-2488.