You are currently viewing Wendy Baumann to Step Down as Leader of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. After 31 Years of Service

Wendy Baumann to Step Down as Leader of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. After 31 Years of Service

Prime Highlights:

Wendy Baumann will step down as president and chief visionary officer of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. (WWBIC) on February 14, 2025.

Under Baumann’s leadership, WWBIC created or retained over 25,000 jobs and supported more than 12,500 businesses.

Key Background:

Wendy Baumann, the long-standing president and chief visionary officer of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. (WWBIC), will step down in February 2025 after an impactful 31-year tenure. Baumann’s departure, announced by the organization on January 10, marks the end of an era during which she guided WWBIC to become a significant force in Wisconsin’s economic development landscape.

Baumann’s leadership transformed WWBIC from a small, single-office operation into a prominent organization that now serves clients in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota through six regional offices and a Veterans Business Outreach Center. Under her direction, WWBIC focused on empowering underserved communities, particularly women, people of color, and low-income individuals, by providing access to capital, business education, and technical assistance. Over her three decades of service, the organization loaned more than $130 million to small business owners and helped start, strengthen, or expand over 12,500 businesses.

WWBIC’s impact is reflected in the creation or retention of more than 25,000 jobs, helping to support local economies and foster entrepreneurship. The organization now operates with an annual budget of $9 million and manages a loan portfolio valued at $25 million.

Baumann’s contributions to economic development have earned her multiple awards, including Marquette University’s 2024 Transformational Leaders Award, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s Impact Award, and the Professional Dimensions’ Sacagawea Award. She was also named to the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame and received its Women of Influence award in 2001.

The WWBIC board, acknowledging Baumann’s legacy, emphasized her pivotal role in leveling the economic playing field for many individuals and helping them achieve their entrepreneurial dreams. WWBIC has announced plans to begin a national search for a new leader to continue the mission set forth by Baumann and guide the organization into its next phase of growth.