America's small business
owners and their employees represent more than half of the private
workforce. These entrepreneurs, who create more than 75 percent
of the net new jobs nationwide and generate more than 50 percent
of the Nation's gross domestic product, and the employees who work
in small businesses, deserve our thanks. We salute them by observing
Small Business Week.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Did You Know That Small
Businesses . . .
- provide 75 percent of the net new jobs added to the economy.
- represent 99.7 percent of all employers.
- employ 53 percent of the private work force.
- provide 47 percent of all sales in the country.
- provide 55 percent of innovations.
- account for 35 percent of federal contract dollars.
- account for 38 percent of jobs in high technology sectors.
- account for 51 percent of private sector output.
- represent 96 percent of all U.S. exporters.
Office of Advocacy
U.S. Small Business
Administration
NEWSRELEASE
For Release: May 29, 2003
Contact: John McDowell (202) 205-6941
john.mcdowell@sba.gov
SBA Number: 03-34 ADVO
Small Business
Advocates Of The Year Named
From Diverse
Backgrounds, Industries, Geographic Areas
WASHINGTON – Ten small business owners from across American
have received national awards from the Office of Advocacy of the
SBA. The seven Advocates of the Year were selected for their outstanding
advocacy efforts to improve the climate for small business. Three
special award winners include Small Business Exporter, SBA Young
Entrepreneur, and the Entrepreneurial Success winner.
"The Advocate of the Year award winners showcase the vital
importance of small business to America," said Thomas M.
Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. "These remarkable individuals
are advocates by example, promoting the value of entrepreneurship
in their communities. I’m proud that we can honor them in
some small way," he continued.
The ten award winners come from diverse backgrounds and represent
a wide range of industries and geographic areas. The 2003 Advocates
of the Year and special award winners are:
| AWARD |
WINNER |
LOCATION |
DESCRIPTION |
| Advocates
of the Year |
|
|
|
| Financial
Services Advocate |
Mr.
Fran Jabara
Principal
Jabara Ventures Group |
Wichita,
KS |
Outstanding
advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and effectiveness
of accounting and financial services for small businesses. |
| Home-Based
Business Advocate |
Mr.
Christopher Hansen
Owner
Home-Based Business Council |
Neptune
City, NJ |
Outstanding
advocacy efforts on behalf of home-based businesses |
| Minority
Small Business Advocate |
Mr.
Stephen Mee
Program Manager
Cerro Grande National Labratory |
Los
Alamos, NM |
Outstanding
advocacy efforts on behalf of minority-owned small businesses |
| Research
Advocate |
Dr.
Robert Brockhaus
Director
Jefferson Smurfit Center for Entrepreneurial Studies,
St. Louis University |
St.
Louis, MO |
Outstanding
contributions to small business research |
| Small
Business Journalist Advocate |
Mr.
Jeff Feingold
Editor
New Hampshire Business Review |
Manchester,
NH |
Outstanding
journalistic efforts on behalf of small business |
| Veteran
Small Business Advocate |
Mr.
Dennis DeMolet
President
DeMolet Consulting |
Kettering,.
OH |
Outstanding
advocacy efforts on behalf of veteran-owned small businesses |
| Women
in Business
Advocate
|
Diane
Browning
President
Appalachian By Design |
Lewisburg,
WV |
Outstanding
advocacy efforts on behalf of women-owned small business |
| Special
Awards |
|
|
|
| Entrepreneurial
Success |
Mrs.
Himanshu "Sue" Bhatia
Chief Executive Officer
Rose International |
Chesterfield,
MO |
Owning
a business that started small and with the help of the
SBA has grown large. |
| SBA
Young Entrepreneur |
Mr.
Scott Jones
Owner
Beyond Clothing |
Eugene,
OR |
Business
success while under 30 years old |
| Small
Business Exporter |
Mr.
William Wilson
President
Wilson Forest Products |
Jefferson,
PA |
Exporting
and advocacy efforts on behalf of small business exporters |
National Advocate award winners will be honored during the National
Entrepreneurship Conference & Expo, held September 15-20,
2003 in Washington, D.C. For more information on this event, visit
www.sba.gov/50/anniversaryevents.html.
Biographical sketches on each of the Advocacy winners are located
at www.sba.gov/advo.
The Office of Advocacy examines the role and status of small
business in the economy and independently represents the views
of small business to Congress and the President. It is the source
for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats
and it funds research into small business issues. For more information
and bios of the winners, visit the Office of Advocacy website
at www.sba.gov/advo.
###
Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of
Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an
independent voice for small business within the federal government.
Appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the
Chief Counsel for Advocacy directs the office. The Chief Counsel
advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business
before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts,
and state policy makers. Economic research, policy analyses, and
small business outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional
Advocates and an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel’s
efforts. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, visit
www.sba.gov/advo, or call (202) 205-6533.
