Like most women business owners, Nancy is no stranger to wearing multiple hats in the course of any given day. A business owner herself for 21 years, Nancy also serves as the Executive Director for KC-CWBO. She is totally dedicated to the goals of the organization, providing strategy, insight, and a collaborative mindset. In addition, input from each member is eagerly sought, as are possible solutions to each member’s needs and interests.

The following is an overview of the many activities in which Nancy Zurbuchen has engaged to help, promote, educate, and mentor women business owners, on both a local, state and national level.

March 2004

U.S. Small Business Administration "Women in Business Advocate of the Year" Award, Kansas City area and Region VII
2003
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) chose Nancy Zurbuchen as their "2003 Women in Business Advocate of the Year" for the Kansas City area and the 4-state Region VII (Missouri, Kansas Iowa and Nebraska). Nominated by Ms. Sandy Licata Bartow, Director of the Kansas Women’s Business Center and the 2002 "Women in Business National Advocate," Nancy was selected for the high SBA honor based on her leadership in the business community and her continued advocacy for women in business. Nancy encourages women business owners to form alliances and build relationships with each other to create more business opportunities.

Recipient of the NAWBO "National Bridge Builder Award"
2001
This is one of National Association of Women Business Owner’s top leadership awards. Called the BRIDGE BUILDER, it is given to the person who "clearly builds alliances and forms coalitions; and is involved in community outreach and is adept at pulling groups together. It is often a mystery how she has the energy to do everything she does. This person frequently helps resolve conflict. She perceives links for potential partnerships and pursues them. The Bridge Builder creates energy."

"Women Who Mean Business" Award Recipient
2001
Nancy was honored as a recipient of the "Women Who Mean Business Award" in 2001. The award is sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation and The Kansas City Business Journal. It is presented to noted area women in business "who have made significant contributions to their business or industry, have shown commitment to their community, and strive to better the business climate for other women.

Recognized local leader for women in business issues
Because of Nancy’s extensive activism, understanding, and personal experience (she has been a business owner herself for 20 years), she has become known as a knowledgeable authority on issues affecting women in business. She has been featured in print articles, interviewed on radio talk shows, or appeared on camera for: The Kansas City Star; Kansas City Business Journal; Northland Business Ledger; Kansas City Small Business Monthly; Radio Stations Mix 93 and KPHN; and television station KMBC TV, Channel 9.

Appointed to Chair the Kansas City Fairness in City Contracts Board
2003 to Present
The Mayor of Kansas City has appointed Nancy to chair the Fairness in City Contracts Board, a new city board created in 2003 to facilitate the city’s utilization of women and minority-owned firms in awarding contracts for goods and services. Nancy spearheaded the effort to create the new board, bringing together a task force of representatives from all minority and women-oriented business organizations in the area.

Governing Body, Athena Powerlink Program
2002 to Present
The Athena Powerlink program helps women-owned businesses expand profitably by matching them with professional advisory boards. It is a popular, competitive program that has gained recognition for making a difference in the business success of its recipients.

Chair of the Policy and Infrastructure Task Force
2002-Present
Nancy has been working to raise the level of awareness by women in business of the importance that public policy advocacy has on the way they do business, and on their company’s "bottom line." She has been asked to chair the new Task Force on policy at the Kauffman Foundation.

Co-founder and Director of the Kansas City Council of Women Business Owners
2001- Present
KC-CWBO is a non-profit organization focused on improving the business climate in Kansas City for all women business owners. The membership is specifically for women who own and run the larger businesses in the area. The organization’s activities focus on making changes to the system, such as public policy initiatives, improvements in certification and procurement, and getting women better represented on paid corporate boards. Nancy has volunteered literally hundreds of hours to found the Kansas City Council of Women Business Owners (KC-CWBO), and she currently serves as its Executive Director.

Founding and Current Board member of the Kansas Women’s Business Center
2000 - Present
Nancy has provided direction and strategy for moving this very successful endeavor forward since its beginning. The KWBC has exceeded all projections for number of clients served through counseling, training, mentoring, and networking – while also securing a solid financial base for the organization.

Small business outreach program for the State of KS
2001 - Present
Nancy is currently serving on the outreach committee of the KWBC. As such, her role is to help devise a plan for disseminating support for small business to the underserved areas of Kansas (which is most of the state). The strategy is to first connect with organizations that already provide other services in those areas (for example, university satellite schools and agriculture extension offices), piggyback on their infrastructure for communication, and augment their service offerings. Nancy is also involved in writing the grant that will provide funding from the Kauffman Foundation.

Extensively lobbied the State of MO to accept third-party WBE certification
2001 - Present
For over a year, Nancy has spearheaded the effort to convince the OEO at the State of Missouri to accept the WBE certification provided by the National Womens Business Corporation (NWBOC), in addition to the State’s own certification program. Nancy was able to enlist key individuals in other areas of the State, and her dogged persistence has paid off. As of November 2002, all parties are now doing a final review of the Letter of Agreement, and Nancy expects it to be signed before the end of the year. This is an important victory for women business owners because it results in a reduction in the number of different certifications required, and shortens the length of the process. Perhaps more importantly, it will also ensure that private business records and information, much of which must be revealed as part of the certification process, remains private. Many women are not aware that when they submit certification paperwork to a government entity, it becomes accessible to anyone – including competitors – through the Freedom of Information Act. Nancy hopes that accepting third-party certification will be the beginning of a larger trend for government agencies; this is the first known agreement between a state and a national third party for WBE certification.

Appointed to serve on the Kansas City Fairness in Construction Board
2002 - Present
Nancy has recently been appointed by Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes to serve on the Fairness in Construction Board, which oversees the minority and women’s participation in construction projects undertaken by the city.

Creation of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Braintrust
2002 - Present
Nancy is currently serving on the core planning team that is creating this initiative from the Kauffman Foundation. The goal is to "develop a shared understanding of the priorities that will serve to accelerate women’s entrepreneurship in the Kansas City area."

Panelist at the Women’s Entrepreneurship Legislative Conference
2001
Organized by Rep. Catherine Hanaway, held in Jefferson City, MO.

Panelist at the Women’s Small Business Summit
2001-2002
Organized by the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee under the leadership of Senator Kit Bond and held in Kansas City and in Saint Louis, MO

Participant in Public Policy Days in Jefferson City
1999-Present
Lobbying efforts for WBO issues, organized by Kansas City and Saint Louis NAWBO chapters.

Board Member and Chapter President, Kansas City Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
1990-2001
Leadership and collaborative skills were honed when Nancy served as President of the local chapter of NAWBO ten years ago. The entire membership was comprised of other business owners who were also used to being "chief." The result was a successful year in which membership increased, participation at the national level was instigated for the first time, and most board members wanted to serve on the board for another year. Then, as the chapter’s first "Association Liaison," Nancy recognized the need for the local chapter to interact with other business and women’s groups, and worked to make that a reality. She was a dynamic Board member for many years, and remains active today.

National Founding Member of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
2001- Present
Recognizing the importance of women business owners’ need to become more politically aware and active, Nancy was part of the founding efforts of WIPP. She serves on the Executive Management Board as the Director of Grassroots Campaigns, and developed a national grassroots program including outreach strategies, and internal communications processes.

National Board of Directors Member, NAWBO
1998-2000
On the national level, Nancy has served in many capacities in the National Association of Women Business Owners, including being the Midwest Regional Director on the national board. She passionately worked with chapter presidents and boards, mentoring them in leadership and conflict resolution skills. She lobbied on Capital Hill for NAWBO’s issues; served on the nominating and election committees, and participated in strategic planning for the organization. One of her most visible accomplishments was in bringing another organization into the NAWBO fold, the Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs. The challenge was to build and sustain enough buy-in and momentum within WWE so that all parties could reach consensus. The seven chapters of WWE became NAWBO chapters in 2001.

Represents the National Women Business Owners Corporation, (NWBOC)
1999-Present
Performs on-site visits and evaluations for this WBE certifying organization.

Attended and participated in national conventions, conferences, and summits: Business Women’s Network "Women and Diversity Leadership Summit," 2001; NAWBO National Conference, 1990-2002; NAWBO Public Policy Days, 1998-2000; WIPP National Conference, 2001-2004; National Women’s Small Business Summit, Sen. Bond, 2000-2003