Profile: Broward Business Leadership Network

The Broward County Business Leadership Network (BBLN) is a network of employers who educate and support businesses in a peer relationship in order to hire, retain and improve customer service for people with disabilities. Our Vision is to strengthen our region such that all businesses recognize the benefits of hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities.

The BBLN was initially housed within the United Way of Broward County, Florida. The United Way of Broward County identified job readiness and employment of people with disabilities as a community impact issue in February 2005. The initial effort brought together United Way of Broward County, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, WorkForce One, Nova Southeastern University, several service providers, state agencies, and community volunteers to identify effective approaches to increasing employment of people with disabilities in Broward County.  The group established a plan to launch an initiative in July 2005 - Broward County’s first-ever Career Fair and Workshop Series focused on individuals with disabilities, held at Nova Southeastern University.  The event was attended by 40 businesses and service providers as well as nearly 400 job seekers with disabilities. A second event was held in October 2006 at Signature Grande, in conjunction with Employment for Persons with Disabilities Month. This event brought Roy Grizzard, from the U.S. Department of Labor, as the keynote speaker. In 2007, the BBLN was transferred to the Center for Independent Living, which will serve as a fiduciary agent.