By Jeanette Fanning and Harry Hayes
June 29, 2009

Concerns for the economy have been on the hearts and minds of people all across the country. At The United States Conference of Mayors, they are looking for innovative ways save the jobs that are left and add more to their communities. Among the hardest hit by economic swings is the small business community, which provides 60 million jobs and accounts for 70 percent of new jobs created in America annually. George Cloutier, President of American Management Services and Chairman of the USCM/AMS partnership Partner America, presented at the 77th Annual Meeting in Providence as a voice for this struggling sector that appears to be left behind thus far in the federal government's attempt to stimulate the economy.

Cloutier has spent time with over 1200 small business in various cities over the past six months, talking with the owners and advising them on what aspects of the business could be improved to cut operating costs while still retaining workers. Many of these businesses were experiencing declines of up to 70-80 percent from previous years and were forced to downsize considerably. Cloutier emphasized that, The small business community is fighting for its very survival, with more companies losing money or going out of business each week. Currently, small businesses have four times as many layoffs as the big corporations. Without a cohesive voice that speaks for all small businesses, their plight will continue to be overshadowed by that of the better-known national organizations. Partner America is the voice for this community, with the combination of Cloutier's strong experience working with small businesses and USCM's respected national reach.

Cloutier has spent the past few months hosting small business dinners in various U.S. cities, talking with mayors and local business owners about what problems are specific to their town. The resounding answer was that Main Street has not seen the benefits of the federal stimulus package. With stimulus money going to rural community projects, the cities and their ailing small businesses are not getting the support they need. Stimulus aside, Cloutier also explains there are money saving strategies that many small businesses do not employ.

In his recently published book Profits Aren't Everything, They're the Only Thing, Cloutier's, take no prisoners, tough love plan of attack to save small businesses, speaks directly to cities facing this economic crisis. With small businesses making up the backbone of American cities, these companies going under directly impacts mayors and their cities. What Cloutier has learned in his twenty years of saving small businesses is presented in a no frills manner to get the attention of small business owners. To ensure small businesses get the information they need, Cloutier gave two main suggestions to mayors: Closely monitor government money and make sure small businesses get their fair share; and host an open forum for local small business leaders to get together and discuss their common problems. This is not a crisis that small businesses can handle alone.

For more information on Partner America or how to host a small business forum in your city, contact Jeff Bean at 202-446-8140 or send e-mail to jbean@usmayors.org.