About Us: The Broward Business leadership Network is an employer-to-employer network with a common vision of increasing workforce diversity through the recruitment and hiring of qualified workers with disabilities.  Businesses need workers and people with disabilities are an untapped source of dependable employees.

The Bottom Line:  A diverse workforce is vital to business success.  Approximately one in five Floridians has a disability.  By employing people with disabilities, Broward’s employers can effectively position themselves to develop products and services that are more likely to sell to a diverse customer base, resulting in significant increases in long-term profits.  The Broward Business Leadership Network is committed to helping your business achieve diversity through the employment of qualified people with disabilities.  BBLN is committed to helping business with technical expertise in qualifying for and learning more about services, programs and incentives that assist employers in saving money and increasing their bottom line.

The Broward Business Leadership Network (BBLN) was founded to assist employers in finding and retaining good employees who will help build the current business’ bottom line by provision of excellent services and achieving or exceeding current production standards.  These employers have learned to look at the person’s abilities first and not at their disabilities.  Companies, both large and small, have found that it is good business to hire people with disabilities. BBLN has continued to provide several seminars for employers with Human Resource Certification Institute Continuing Education Credit for re-certification. 

Mission Statement:  The Broward 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 services for people with disabilities.

Vision:  To strengthen our region such that all businesses recognize the benefits of hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities.

Organizational History:  The Broward Business Leadership Network was initially housed within the United Way of Broward County, Florida.  The United Way of Broward County, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, WorkForce One, and 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 imitative in July 2005 – Broward County’s first-ever Career Fair and Workshop Series focused on individuals with disabilities, help 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 Grand, in conjunction with Employment for Persons with Disabilities Month.  The third event and every event thereafter have been held at Nova Southeastern University.  We have averaged over 40 businesses and service providers as well as nearly 400 job seekers with disabilities.

In 2007, the BBLN was transferred from United Way to the Center for Independent Living of Broward to serve as a fiduciary agent.  Joe Jorge is the Executive Director of the BBLN.