Local Pharmaceutical Research Firm Becomes Certified as Woman-Owned

"I did it for my four granddaughters,” said Christine Pierre, 52, president and owner of RxTrials, a successful pharmaceutical research company headquartered in Ellicott City.

Her firm recently went to great lengths to officially establish itself as a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE).

Sitting in a small patient exam room, surrounded by an assortment of medical supplies, Pierre explained, “I wanted to show women, including my oldest granddaughter who is seven, that they should never think in terms of being dependent on a man or anyone else.”

A number of organizations certify that private, for-profit companies are owned and controlled by a woman or women. To qualify, women must own at least 51 percent of a business, serve as either president or CEO for at least six months, be active in daily management, and be U.S. citizens or legal residents of the country.

“Most companies are motivated to get certified for contracting purposes,” said Janet Harris-Lange, president of National Women Business Owners Corporation, a nonprofit based in Lake Park, FL. NWBOC certifies businesses for an initial fee of $350 and re-certifies them annually for $200-300.

Certified businesses are more attractive to publicly held corporations and government agencies seeking to diversify their cadre of suppliers and subcontractors, according to Harris-Lange. “It’s a 'Good Housekeeping' stamp of approval. When prime [contractors] go looking for a sub, WBE certification can only help.”

“There are many companies that do well with supplier diversity,” said Harris-Lange. “PNC, Microsoft, UPS and Comcast have good records.”

But there are other motives as well.

“Actually, we did not [seek WBE certification] for financial reasons. In our industry, there is very little chance that this certification will land us more work,” Pierre said.

“I’m not a banner-waving feminist or anything; many before me did this for [my] generation, which I so appreciate, but I do think women should realize they are empowered to pursue their dreams, even if they don’t aspire to own a business.”

Federal Contracting

Until recently, federal government contracting regulations related to woman-owned companies were a hodgepodge of complicated rules that varied from one agency to the next-- sometimes even within an agency depending on the type of contract. But that may soon change.

In a memo obtained by Patch.com dated Jan. 31, Karen G. Mills, who heads the U.S. Small Business Administration, informed chief acquisition officers, senior procurement executives and agency small business directors that a new federal data repository for woman-owned small businesses (WOSBs) would be stood up to accept the documentation required to certify WOSB status.

SBA is now accepting applications from third-party certifiers, which is widely viewed as the necessary first step if the fed is going to meet the statutory goal of awarding 5 percent of federal contract dollars to WOSBs. A list of approved third-party WOSB certifiers soon will be posted online at www.sba.gov/wosb.

“The certification process we went through was rigorous. We had to submit a stack of documentation—enough to fill a large binder,” recalled Pierre. “We felt it was worth the effort because it helps give women a collective voice. It’s as much about the next generation of young women as anything else.”

“Applications are reviewed by accountants and attorneys, and then we do a site visit to verify everything,” said Harris-Lang.

A registered nurse by training who grew up in San Francisco and now lives in Ellicott City, Pierre started RxTrials in 1994 to facilitate clinical trials of new medications. Since then, the company has expanded to nine research sites in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Texas, including one at Columbia Medical Practice near Routes 175 and 29.

Today, RxTrials is one of only a handful of woman-owned businesses in its industry; however, Pierre says she has never experienced a barrier because of her gender. Over the years, Pierre has held several leadership positions, including chairperson of the board for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, and has mentored numerous research site directors, both male and female.

“There are more men than women in this field, but that doesn’t mean men dominate it,” said she with a grin.

Washington, D.C.-based Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, certified RxTrials.