Rebecca Boenigk Named to National Women's Business Council

Federal Appointment for Bryan, TX-based Businesswoman

Rebecca Congleton Boenigk, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Bryan, TX-based Neutral Posture, Inc., has been appointed to a three-year term on the National Women's Business Council. In 1989, Boenigk and her mother Jaye Congleton started Neutral Posture, a leading manufacturer of ergonomic seating, in her garage and the company is the only certified woman owned business to trade on a public stock market. She has received numerous awards and sits on the boards of several women's business organizations and an industry group.

The National Women's Business Council is a bi-partisan Federal government council created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. Members of the Council are prominent women business owners and leaders of women's business organizations. The Council is committed to:



  • Conducting research on issues of importance to women business owners and their organizations


  • Communicating these findings widely


  • Connecting the women's business community to public policy makers; and


  • Providing programs and platforms for change in order to expand and improve opportunities for women business owners and their enterprises "I am delighted to welcome Rebecca Boenigk to the National Women's Business Council," said Tami Longaberger, Chair of the National Women's Business Council and Chair and CEO of The Longaberger Company. "As a successful woman business owner and a recognized advocate for entrepreneurs, Rebecca will be a valuable asset to the Council. I look forward to working with her to address the important issues currently facing the women's business community."


  • Boenigk is a frequent speaker at women's business events. Her awards include being named SBA Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Texas in 2005, a 2004 Enterprising Woman of the Year by Enterprising Women magazine, and the 2002 Office Depot Business Woman of the Year. She also received the Women Presidents' Organization Mary Lehman MacLachlan Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence in 2005. Boenigk is a member of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council Board of Directors and is the current chair of that organization's Women's Enterprise Leadership Forum. She has appeared in publications such as Fortune Small Business and Industry Week, and is featured in the new book "The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Grow or Manage a Business" by Martha Stewart.

    "Being asked to serve on the National Women's Business Council is truly an honor," said Boenigk. "Working with the Council, I hope to use my experiences as an entrepreneur and as a successful business owner to promote federal policies that support women entrepreneurs and the growth of their businesses."

    As the nation's advocate for the more than 10.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., the National Women's Business Council works to promote increased access to affordable health care, access to capital, access to federal contracts and international markets, and access to the information and expertise women business owners most need to succeed. Women-owned businesses currently represent nearly half (48%) of all U.S. firms, employing 19.1 million people and generating nearly $2.5 trillion in sales.