Local Business in the Queen City - Queen Associates, Inc. -  Gains National Recognition

Local company named among North Carolina’s Top Woman Owned Businesses

Charlotte, NC – February, ** 2005 –   In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com, the nations’ leading multicultural internet site, recently named Queen Associates, Inc. as one of the top woman-owned businesses in North Carolina.   Specifically, Queen Associates was named the 30th largest woman-owned business in North Carolina; and the 45th largest among diversity businesses.  

The ranking is the 6thh annual listing of the North Carolina’s top woman-owned businesses.  Ranging in revenue size from $1.5 million to over $114 million, the companies listed represent North Carolina’s top multicultural earners and challenge the long-held notion that a woman-owned business is small or insignificant. Members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with woman-owned companies.
The Impact of Woman Owned Business
Major corporations wishing to increase market share realize it is no longer just “the right thing” to do business with diversity owned companies.  Affected by recent economic and demographic trends and changes, corporations throughout the country have recognized that buying products and services from diversity owned companies positively impacts their business. Diversity-owned businesses contribute over $1.4 trillion in sales to the U.S. economy.

“Diversity businesses and consumers are a growing force in the U.S. economy, and a force to be reckoned with,” said Kenton Clarke, CEO of Computer Consulting Associates International, the company that built DiversityBusiness.com.  “It’s no longer only about the Fortune 1000. This is a whole business segment that can carry its own, that provides jobs, products and services, and generates wealth for their communities.  These are the new leaders in American business.” 

“ Queen Associates recognizes the significance of embracing diversity and valuing the differences of people, cultures, ethic backgrounds, religions and innovation.  We are proud to be included among women and minority owned businesses in NC that strive to make a difference.”, said, Frances Queen, founder and CEO of Queen Associates. 

The Top Woman List
This is a classification that represents the top woman-owned businesses in North Carolina in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food service and professional services. Large organizational buyers throughout the country that do business with multicultural and women-owned businesses use the list. This list is produced annually by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's leading multicultural B2B Internet portal that links large organizational buyers to multicultural product and service suppliers.

The winning companies will be honored at a special awards ceremony at DiversityBusiness.com’s 6thh Annual Multicultural Business Conference, taking place March 29 – March 31, 2006 at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The listed companies are the heroes of woman-owned business in America,” said Kenton Clarke. “While Fortune magazine lists the best companies for women and minorities to work for, we list the top woman owned businesses. These are the people that have conquered the hurdles and made the sacrifices, building and strengthening their communities, providing jobs and helping to keep the fabric of the U.S. economy together.”
For the complete list of winning companies, please visit:
www.diversitybusiness.com

About Queen Associates, Inc. - QA(i)3

Queen Associates inc – QA(i)3 – is a certified 100% Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and premier provider of integrated business and technology services.  QA(i)3 specializes in building long-term strategic business partnerships.  They focus on teaming with their clients to achieve optimal solutions that consistently deliver competitive advantage. 

QA(i)3's mission is to bring intelligence, innovation, and ideas to the marketplace through an integrated menu of business and technology expertise. The company's management savvy and innovation continues to be recognized including being named 2006 Charlotte Business Woman of the Year finalist, 2005 Charlotte Chamber Blue Diamond Award winner, 2005 CPCC Hagemeyer Educational Advancement award, and 2004 National WBENC Woman Owned Business Star, to name a few.

For more information about Queen Associates, Inc., please reference:  www.qai3.com . 

About DiversityBusiness.com
Launched in 1999, with over 30,000 members DiversityBusiness.com is the largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges and universities. Members use the sites technology to find and track new business opportunities. It also produces the country’s largest conference on diversity education and training for major corporations and small business. Its research on top businesses appears in Fortune, Forbes and numerous magazines and media publications.  The site has gained national recognition and has won numerous awards for its content and design. DiversityBusiness.com is produced by Computer Consulting Associates International Inc. (CCAii.com) of Southport, CT. CCA was founded in 1980 by CEO Kenton Clarke.