SBA Selects Desiree Patno, NAWRB CEO - 2016 Women in Business Champion of the Year

Santa Ana, CA, April 27, 2016 --(PR.com)-- The U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District Office has selected Desirée Patno, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB), as the 2016 Women in Business Champion of the Year Award. Patno was nominated for the award by Shideh Balali, Director of Strategic Partnerships, NAWRB, in recognition of her leadership and efforts in addressing and raising awareness about women and women-owned businesses in the real estate industry.

Desirée Patno is the founder of the National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB) and Desirée Patno Enterprises, Inc. (DPE). Through NAWRB, she advocates for the increased utilization of women-owned businesses and mentors female entrepreneurs for future successful business ownership.

Patno supports the increase of business and financial opportunities for women by conducting outreach events such as the Women in Housing Financial Fitness Road Show, drawing the participation of small businesses and government organizations including the U.S. Small Business Administration, and others, in order to increase supplier diversity in the real estate industry. She further strengthens these efforts through NAWRB's Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC), dedicated to developing and sharing best practices to increase C-suite women representation by bringing women to the forefront with accountability and results.

Patno strongly advocates for better services and consideration of consumers through the NAWRB Women's Homeownership Initiative (WHI), which calls for improved data collection regarding women's homeownership, special lending services for women and hosts regional meetings for real estate professionals. By increasing women's homeownership throughout the nation, NAWRB will help decrease women's poverty and cement women's personal and professional strides.

Along with her continuing efforts to strengthen the role of women business owners in the community, Patno publishes NAWRB Magazine and hosts NAWRB’s Annual Conference, providing a resource and a platform through which women and industry leaders can remain aware of current developments and connect with one another to bring these issues to the forefront.

Patno will be recognized and receive her award as 2016 Women in Business Champion of the Year at the local Small Business Week Awards program which will be held Tuesday, May 3 from 10:30 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. at the Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom. The event is being hosted by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the event or to register, email events@ochcc.com or call 714.953.4289.