Kelly Ireland & CBT Honored at 13th Annual Digital WPO Conference
The Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), in collaboration with American Express, today announced their 13th annual ranking of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies™ and CBT checks in at number 28!
The companies on this year’s 50 Fastest list span a range of industries, including healthcare, technology, and consulting. From January to December of 2019, the 50 Fastest generated a combined $3.8 billion in revenue and collectively employed more than 17,000 people.
“Its an absolute honor to have CBT included in this prestigious list of female-owned/led companies. It is a testament to the CBT team who continues to constantly push the envelope. Our investment in IIoT and digital transformation, that is front & center across a multitude of industries today, has allowed us to deliver valuable solutions solving real-time business problems” stated Kelly Ireland, Founder and CEO.
Ireland founded CBT in 2001 as a value-added reseller (VAR) and has since successfully transitioned the company to a recognized solution provider and domain expert integrator. Under her leadership, the company has flourished, bridging the gap between operational technologies (OT) and information technologies (IT) with groundbreaking projects like the Refinery of the Future (RotF) in Houston. The company also thrives in high-performance computing (HPC), supporting a number of notable Fortune 50 clients. These successful initiatives have positioned CBT as an industry leader and have spurred explosive growth, increasing the company’s revenue by 55% from 2017-2019.
“The 50 Fastest Growing Women Owned/Led Companies are a trailblazing group of women who are leading some of the most successful businesses around the globe. At American Express, we are committed to supporting and backing the growth of women-owned and -led companies and are delighted to recognize these leaders for their success,” said Jessica Ling, Vice President and General Manager, Marketing Strategy, Content and Experiences at American Express. “Not only do women-owned businesses fuel the economy with trillions of dollars in revenue and the millions of jobs they provide, many have also pivoted their offerings and business strategies to provide essential services and accommodate their employees, which has proven to be vital for navigating the pandemic.”
“At a time when bright spots are few and far between, we are thrilled to celebrate the business accomplishments of these 50 inimitable leaders,” said Camille Burns, CEO of the Women Presidents’ Organization. “American Express has made it possible to acknowledge the impressive influence women-owned and -led companies have in job creation and growing the global economy.”
All eligible companies were ranked according to a sales growth formula, combining percentage and absolute growth. To qualify for the ranking, businesses are required to be privately held, woman-owned or -led, and have reached annual revenues of at least $500,000 as of 2015 and every subsequent year. Applicants are not required to be WPO members.
For a full list of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Businesses, go to WPO’s official release.
The Women Presidents’ Organization
The WPO is the premier peer advisory organization connecting women who own multi-million-dollar companies. In monthly meetings across six continents, chapters of 20 women presidents from diverse industries invest time and energy in themselves and their businesses to drive their corporations to the next level. Local WPO chapters are coordinated by a professional facilitator and meet monthly to share business expertise and experience in a confidential setting. For more information, contact 212-688-4114 or visit www.womenpresidentsorg.com. Follow the WPO on Twitter @womenpresidents and Facebook @TheWPO.