 Hello my name is Melissa Lindler and I'm the Director for the Office of Business Opportunities with the City of Columbia. In Columbia we have over 13,000 businesses and 38% of those businesses are owned by women. We are so fortunate here in Columbia to have so many women at the forefront of these business ventures. Women play a critical role in our small business community making it more vibrant dynamic and providing diverse perspectives that drive progress and change. Though celebrating women and ensuring they have the resources necessary for success is something that the City of Columbia does throughout the year. This month we will be celebrating National Women's Small Business Month providing us with a very distinct opportunity to highlight Columbia women business owners that are doing phenomenal things. Throughout the month we encourage you to recognize and support the locally owned businesses here in Columbia but especially those owned by women. To assist you in that effort for the remainder of October we will highlight women business owners who are not only leading our entrepreneurial ecosystem but also diversifying the economic fabric of our great city. Please join us as we celebrate Columbia's amazing women business owners not only today during the month of October but throughout the year. We are Rezinga Columbia.