Office Depot Hosts Second Annual Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) of Florida Conference & Business Expo

BOCA RATON, Fla. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, today announced that it will be hosting the second annual Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) of Florida Conference & Business Expo at the Company's Corporate Headquarters in Boca Raton, FL. The event, which will take place October 15-16, 2009, will bring together America's leading corporations, government agencies, women business owners and affiliate organizations with the goal of increasing networking and contracting opportunities for women business enterprises. Additionally, Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel will attend the opening of the Business Expo on Friday morning.

"We are truly proud to partner with the Women's Business Development Center of Florida in putting on this critically important event for women small business owners," said Monica Luechtefeld, Executive Vice President of E-Commerce and Direct Marketing for Office Depot. "The WBDC offers innovative ways to train women and create new business opportunities. Its mission and approach aligns well with Office Depot's own objective to help our millions of small business customers take care of business and succeed."

WBDC is the local Regional Partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. Office Depot is a Platinum Corporate Sponsor of the WBDC and a strong partner of WBENC. The WBDC Annual Conference & Expo serves as the Women's Business Development Center's annual trade show, which brings together America's leading corporations, government agencies, women business owners and affiliate organizations with the goal of increasing network and contracting opportunities for women business enterprises (WBEs).