USA Federal Credit Union is Founding member and Diamond-level Sponsor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Diego, Calif., February 27, 2007– The Women’s Business Center of California (WBCC) launches today as a new, independent non-profit organization. It highlights this change and its improved approach to supporting San Diego entrepreneurs at a VIP event at the University Club, (5 p.m. - 8 p.m.). A new WBCC board of directors and sponsors will be introduced, and the center’s new structure, programs, services and community partnerships will be outlined.

The WBCC will announce it has joined forces with the Beyster Institute at Rady School of Management at UCSD to provide the FastTrac Entrepreneurial Training Programs.
The VIP event at the University Club is co-hosted by USA Federal Credit Union, Curtis Moring Insurance Agency, The Beyster Institute at the Rady School of Management, UCSD, and Jobing.com.

“The WBCC is a dynamic and growing advocate for entrepreneurship in San Diego,” said Mary Cunningham, President/CEO of USA Federal Credit Union, “We expect great things from them in 2007!”

Michelle Butler, President/CEO of the WBCC will be featured on USA Federal’s “Money and You” hour-long Internet radio show Wednesday (3PM PST at http://www.wsradio.com/internet-talk-radio.cfm/shows/Entrepreneur-Magazine-Money-and-You-Show.html). “We will have special guests to highlight not only WBCC but th importance of EntrepreneurshipWeek USA,” Butler said.

“We are so excited about the changes at the WBCC and about our new community partners. EntrepreneurshipWeek USA provides the perfect time to announce these changes and our commitment to supporting woman entrepreneurs in San Diego,” said WBCC Board of Directors Chair Cecile J. Bereal. “The new WBCC will provide programs and services that it has been unable to provide in the past. With the financial support from the business community we can do even more.”

Corporate WBCC sponsors include USA Federal Credit Union, Staples, City of San Diego, Sempra Energy, Union Bank of California, Bank of America, California Bank & Trust, Neighborhood National Bank, Discovery Bank, San Diego County Water Authority, Curtis
Moring Insurance, San Diego Unified Port, Metropolitan Water District of SoCal, and San Diego Regional Airport Authority.

The new WBCC board of directors includes Cecile Bereal, Michelle S. Butler, Nicole Anderson, Bonnie Shaw, Patricia Hughes-Raber, Sharon Gray, Margaret Oppliger, Jaymee Lomax, Amanda Mineer, Claudia Klaus and Lorise W. Maynard.

EntrepreneurshipWeek USA is sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, The New York Times and Inc. magazine. Official events are being planned in cities across the country, culminating in Washington, D.C, where the focus will be on the importance of policy to the nation’s entrepreneurs. On the Net: www.EntrepreneurshipWeekUSA.com.

“We feel the FastTrac curriculum and the partnership with the Beyster Institute at UCSD will be invaluable to the people we serve,” said Michelle Butler, President and CEO of the WBCC. “We are also developing partnerships with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Asian Business Association that will provide more opportunities to develop the programs and services our clients need to succeed in their businesses. 2007 will be an exciting year for the WBCC.”

Formerly a program of National University and partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the WBCC has reorganized and is now launching as its own, independent non-profit organization to better serve the needs of the entire San Diego small business community. While its focus remains on empowering women entrepreneurs, its expanded programs and services will serve a wider demographic and provide more comprehensive resources for small businesses throughout San Diego. For more information about the new WBCC and its programs and services visit www.wbcc-sd.org or call 619-921-6881.

     Founded in 1953 at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, USA Federal offers a full range of financial services, including business services and consumer savings, checking, mortgage and home equity loans, auto loans, debit and credit cards, share term certificates, IRAs and a 24-hour phone center.
     Online services include eStatements, QuickConnect Online and Bill Pay, as well as online loan applications and approval. Additional services include the BALANCE financial fitness program and investment and retirement planning offered by MEMBERS Financial Services.
     With more than 59,000 members and over $700 million in assets, USA Federal Credit Union operates 22 branches, including locations in San Diego and Riverside Counties, Las Vegas, Japan and Korea. Members of the non-profit financial cooperative include the military, civilians and select employee groups.
     USA Federal Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information, call (800) 220-1USA or visit www.USAFedCU.org.

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Note: USA Federal maintains the above information for archival purposes, which is presumed accurate upon release, however, data may become outdated over time and affect accuracy.