Designation enables Hirons to better serve large companies with a supplier diversity focus
INDIANAPOLIS
Hirons, an advertising, public relations and digital firm headquartered in Indianapolis, is proud to announce its national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, a certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC Certification is the gold standard for women-owned business certification in the United States.
“It’s a cause for celebration and a natural progression for a company with a history of providing opportunities, mentorship and enthusiastic support for women in business since 1978,” said Hirons CEO Deana Haworth. “Hirons shines as a place with a long-standing supplier diversity program, which embraces diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, that extends outside our own walls.”
This announcement comes less than a year after celebrating 45 years of business with clients across local, regional and national markets and after appointing the agency’s first female CEO. Haworth started her career at Hirons as a public relations specialist more than two decades ago. She now leads the employee-owned firm, where two-thirds of the leadership team and employees are women.
Female leadership within Hirons’ board of directors includes retired Hirons CFO Ann Kneifel, who acts as board chair, and controller, Kim Short, who serves as treasurer and ESOP trustee. Haworth is board secretary.
“For us, this certification is more than a badge of honor,” said Kneifel. “It represents our commitment to cultivating a healthy, diverse workforce that inspires growth for clients and for women in our industry.”
The WBENC standard of certification implemented by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council is a meticulous process, including an in-depth review of the business and a site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women, and that the business has appropriate structure and strategic business planning and implementation in place.
By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs, which in turn empowers women as leaders and brings about a more diverse, balanced and sustainable economy.
Since its founding, Hirons has been known for several specialty areas of focus, including business-to-business marketing and advertising, corporate communications and PR, digital, and its proprietary Rural Reach program. For more information about our WBENC Certification or services, please visit hirons.com.
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About Hirons
Hirons, a 100% employee-owned advertising, public relations and digital communications firm based in Indianapolis, has been concepting, designing and distributing some of the state’s most widely recognized advertising campaigns since 1978. An established provider of bold and innovative communications solutions, Hirons’ research-based approach starts by first defining the problem at hand and then tailoring our services to best fit our clients’ needs. With clients in the commercial and government sectors, Hirons is leading efforts to spread both digital and traditional messages across the state of Indiana and beyond. In addition to being a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, Hirons is proud of its long-standing supplier diversity program, which ensures diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility extends outside its walls.
About WBENC
Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leader in women’s business development and the leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, with more than 18,000 certified Women’s Business Enterprises, 14 national Regional Partner Organizations, and more than 500 corporate members, most of which are Fortune 500. Thousands of corporations representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as many states, cities and other entities, look for and accept WBENC Certification. Through the Women Owned initiative, WBENC is also a leader in supporting consumer-oriented female entrepreneurs and those who do business with them by raising awareness for why, where and how to buy Women Owned. For more information, visit http://www.wbenc.org/ and www.buywomenowned.com.
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