The Jacksonville Women's Business Center recently honored 38 graduates of its Entrepreneur Certificate program that covers topics including legal, finance, marketing, leadership and customer development.
The graduates at the 2026 Leadership Award Ceremony were the largest class in the JAX Chamber-based center's 22-year history.
The class was supported by a first-time $25,000 grant from The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, which provided scholarships to help 15 students finish the certificate program. Applicants were selected through a competitive process and received education, counseling, technical support and other resources.
Over the past year, the center has provided services to about 600 business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs,
connecting them to a combined $500,000 for their businesses, according to the chamber.
At this year's leadership ceremony, awards went to:
- Jackie Rowland, co-founder and CEO of Russell Rowland Inc., a Jacksonville-based structural engineering firm, was named this year's Athena PowerLink graduate. The Athena Powerlink program pairs women business owners with experts for a year.
- Timothy "Tim" Raines of Patrick and Raines CPAs was recognized as Volunteer of the Year. For nearly 20 years, he has been an instructor in the center's Financial Matters workshop, teaching basic bookkeeping and accounting.
- Wells Fargo bank, the center's largest and longest-standing overall program sponsor. For a decade, the bank has provided an annual $25,000 program grant and sponsors the Leadership Awards.
- Heritage Capital Group, the new sponsor of the Athena program. CEO Bill Sorenson has been a longtime center supporter.
Joining Rowland in the 2026 graduating class were De'Ana Aguas, Michelle Anderson, Carolyn Ball-Pride, LaTroya Barnes, Brittany Beatie, Jackie Bevel, Precious Bittar, Rekita Brown, Dr. Erika Bush, Kellee Craig, Canedra Darby, Cynthia Dean, Adriana Dobbs, Tim Dobbs, Taylor Drury, Zakira Ganji, Robine Grause, Makeeta Holloman and Jasmyne Irizarry.
Other graduates were Nykia Jackson, Samantha Kosters, Jeffery Lane, Cordes Lindow, Raphnee Manning, Sarah Murtaugh, Arlene Ortiz, Mahbubeh Pardis, Melissa Ramos, Juliet Rogers, Shirley Saulsby, Tina Sauvage, Marilyn Sejuela, Jasmin Sosa, Oranoca Storey, Antoinette Sullivan and Brandi Williamson.
For more information, go to jaxwbc.com/about-us.
Beth Reese Cravey has been a reporter for The Florida Times-Union for 45 years, currently specializing in nonprofits and health. She can be reached at bcravey@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Women's Business Center honors record entrepreneur class
