By Kathryn Kretschmer-Weyland
April 2, 2007

With “sold-out” attendance and a jam-packed morning of presentation’s at the Savannah Civic Center, Savannah (GA) Mayor Otis S. Johnson’s hosted the city’s first Partner America Small Business Conference. The city had to stop taking RSVPs for the event due to its popularity and had standing room only at the very successful event.

Working with Partner America™, Johnson assembled a panel of experts who offered their insights on the state of small business in Savannah. George Cloutier, Partner America™ Chairman and CEO of American Management Services, served as the day’s keynote speaker. He imparted some of the wisdom learned during his career both as a small business owner and as an implementer of profits for more than 6,000 small and mid'sized businesses across 400 industries over the past 20 years.

“Small business is the building block of our cities and the engine that drives the national economy,” remarked Cloutier, the nation’s leading expert on small business. “It is imperative that small businesses get the recognition, assistance and attention they deserve, and it is our hope that we are able to assist businesses achieve the profits they deserve and take full advantage of the wealth of federal resources earmarked for small business.”

Joining Cloutier was MarRonde Lumpkin-Lotson and Kathey Porter of the Savannah Economic Development Office; Ray Snow of the Georgia Department of Economic Development; Terri Denison, SBA District Director; Felipe Mendoza from the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Small Business Utilization; and Maria Gutierrez, Business Development Officer at the Export Import Bank of the United States.

“The conference was an overwhelming success,” said Johnson. “The participants gained a wealth of information on both how to improve their businesses and how to increase their chances of success if they are thinking of starting a business. We have received wonderful feedback, and are confident that this will become an annual event.”

Partner America™ is the result of a long-term exclusive partnership between the United States Conference of Mayors and American Management Services, Inc. If you would like more information about Partner America, or if you are interested in hosting a Partner America Small Business Conference in your community, contact Jeff Bean, Managing Director of Partner America at 781-487-0461 or send e-mail to jbean@usmayors.org.