By Kathryn Kretschmer-Weyland
May 24, 2004

One of the biggest challenges mayors face is fostering and maintaining economic growth and development in their cities. Successful small businesses have a major impact on an individual city's economy. City leaders must constantly maintain their efforts in looking for new and creative ways to support these small businesses. In January 2000, the United States Conference of Mayors entered into a partnership agreement with American Management Services, Inc. (AMS) to create the PartnerAmerica™ program. The program is one of the many initiatives created with a focus on small business development.

Since its inception five years ago, PartnerAmerica™ has facilitated over 70 seminars on small business, bringing together mayors- offices with appropriate public and private resources. Agencies such as Small Business Administration, General Services Administration, Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Commercial Service have committed personnel to this effort. American Management Services was founded in 1986 to offer implementation-based profit-maximization services to privately held, small and mid'sized business owners. Its founder, George A. Cloutier, is a small business owner and expert who brings more than 30 years of small business expertise to the table. Over the years he has forged more than 6,000 client relationships in 400 industries, realizing over $1 billion in savings to his clients. Forty percent of these clients Are family-owned businesses.

Starting as a one-man operation, AMS has grown to a company of over 150 people, with offices in Waltham (MA), Rochester (NY), Washington (DC), and its headquarters, Orlando (FL). The company's focus is profit implementation. Unlike traditional consulting firms that simply offer advice, AMS's team of professionals work directly with owners to implement changes necessary to improve cash flow and profits.

Convincing small business owners to take ownership of their real problems and their costs to the business is AMS's goal. AMS begins this process by offering The Business Survey to provide an objective evaluation of the business, solid recommendations, including cost and benefit summaries, and a management blueprint to improve profits and cash flow. The Business Survey is provided to owners as a risk-free proposition, with an unconditional 100 percent satisfaction refund guarantee, for a nominal fee. Once business owners accept responsibility for the challenges in their organizations, they can work to develop and implement the necessary programs that result in improved sales and profits.

Cloutier's endeavors with small business date back to his undergraduate days at Harvard College, when he started the first computer dating service. Even with running a business, Cloutier graduated magna cum laude and went on to receive his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

His involvement with Harvard didn-t stop there. Currently, Cloutier serves as a visiting lecturer, teaching a class on corporate governance based on his role in turning around Circon Corporation during its much-publicized merger with Maxxim Medical in 1999. Cloutier served as Vice Chairman on Circon's board of directors, and was called to serve as interim CEO. He was enlisted to help guide the troubled California medical instrument manufacturer to better fiscal performance, and ultimately a successful merger with Maxxim Medical.

Cloutier has been recognized for his dedication to small business. In addition to receiving recognition from the Minority Business Development Agency, he has also been distinguished as the first-ever Small Business Advocate Award from the Conference of Mayors.

Conference President and Hempstead (NY) Mayor James A. Garner commented on Cloutier and his small business initiatives, stating, "Over the past 30 years, George Cloutier has demonstrated that he is a true small business advocate. He has used his professional expertise and personal talents to further the understanding and awareness of small business across the country and has taken an active role in creating opportunities for small business."

Cloutier speaks regularly at federal, state, and local small business conferences across the country, in addition to the PartnerAmerica™ events. For more information on PartnerAmerica™, please contact Managing Director Jeff Bean at 1-877-778-6726 or send e-mail to jbean@usmayors.org.