W.S. Badger's Co-CEO Rebecca Hamilton Appointed to the Prestigious National Women's Business Council

GILSUM, N.H., July 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- W.S. Badger Co., the maker of people and planet-friendly body care products since 1995, today announced the appointment of Co-CEO Rebecca Hamilton to the nonpartisan federal advisory committee: the National Women's Business Council (NWBC).

Established as part of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988, the NWBC is comprised of women business owners, policymakers, bankers, representatives of women's business organizations and other stakeholders who discuss potential solutions to the challenges facing national women business owners, and recommend solutions to the administrator of the SBA, Congress, and the President.

Senator Jean Shaheen, who put forth Hamilton's name for consideration by the Council, praised the appointment in a recent tweet, "Congratulations to @BadgerBalmUSA's Rebecca Hamilton on being appointed to a 3-year term on @NWBC! Badger Balm is a NH success story, & I know Rebecca's unique perspective will add tremendous value to NWBC's work. I look forward to working with you to empower women entrepreneurs."

A long-time advocate for issues concerning the environment, ingredient transparency, and societal change, Hamilton has spoken at the White House, addressed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in support of organic and regenerative agriculture, testified before Congress on behalf of safer cosmetics, and attended Senate and House briefings on Capitol Hill in support of family-friendly workplace practices and chemical reform. She also spearheaded the passing of Benefit Corporation legislation in New Hampshire, a for-profit status that incorporates the pursuit of positive environmental and social impact in addition to profit.

"It's an honor to join the National Women's Business Council, and I look forward to working with my fellow Council members over the next three years to empower and advocate for female entrepreneurs and business owners," said Rebecca Hamilton. "As a woman CEO running a rurally-located manufacturing company, I am particularly excited to join the Rural Women's Entrepreneurship committee and focus on the challenges rural women entrepreneurs face in growing their companies."

In addition to Hamilton's announcement, Sandra Robert, CEO of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) also joined the Council, bringing its membership to the full 15.

"I'm pleased to welcome Rebecca Hamilton, CEO of Badger, and Sandra Robert, CEO of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS)," said Liz Sara, NWBC Chair. "As a full Council, we are ready to tackle action-based results while bringing the voices of women-owned businesses to the White House, Congress, and the Small Business Administration."

With the addition of Hamilton and Robert, NWBC will continue to focus its advocacy efforts on Women in STEM, Rural Women's Entrepreneurship, and Access to Capital and Opportunity.

About the National Women's Business Council
The National Women's Business Council is a nonpartisan federal advisory committee established to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the Small Business Administration on issues pertaining to women business owners.

The Council is comprised of 15 members including:

• One presidentially appointed Chair
• Eight women business owners, half of the president's party and half not of the president's party
• Six representatives of national women's business organizations, including representatives of women's business center sites.

The Council is committed to:

• Analyzing research and data on issues of importance to women business owners and their organizations
• Communicating these findings widely
• Connecting members of the women's business community to one another, and to public policy makers
• Providing a platform for change in order to expand and improve opportunities for women business owners and their enterprises – from start-up to success to significance

About Badger
Badger is a family-run and family-friendly company that has been making healthy products for people and the planet since 1995. It was twenty-three years ago that company founder Bill Whyte, a carpenter at the time, created a single, simple balm. Today, Rebecca Hamilton and Emily Schwerin-Whyte, second-generation family owners and sister CEOs, are at the helm of a global business with over one hundred natural and certified organic personal care products—ranging from lip and body balms to hair oils, bug repellents, and award-winning reef-friendly mineral sunscreens. Badger's unique company philosophy, pioneering family-friendly benefits, and B Corp community engagement has earned it numerous awards and recognition, including landing a spot on Forbes' "Small Giants 2017: America's Best Small Companies" list.

Badger has been a certified B Corp since 2011 and in 2015 became one of New Hampshire's first businesses to register legally as a Benefit Corporation, a for-profit status that incorporates the pursuit of positive environmental and social impact in addition to profit. For more information, visit Badger at badgerbalm.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SOURCE W.S. Badger Co.