By Kathryn Kretschmer-Weyland
July 14, 2003

Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Melanie Sabelhaus joined Partner America Task Force Co-Chairs Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy and Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes, Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran and Partner America Chairman George Cloutier for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the Partner America/Small Business Task Force Meeting at the 71st Annual Meeting in Denver. Under the terms of the MOU, the Conference and SBA will jointly undertake a comprehensive outreach campaign to foster small business growth and development.

Sabelhaus commented on the importance of the MOU. "This MOU provides the opportunity for us at the SBA to work closely with the mayors, and that is very important to the small businesses in your communities. Side by side, we can deliver the tools and resources essential to the growth of small businesses," she said.

Sabelhaus outlined the key points of the agreement. A joint comprehensive outreach campaign will encourage small business growth and the formation of a Small Business Task Force, whose mission will be to explore innovative ways in which local mayors can effectively interact with federal agencies for the benefit of small business. The principal focus of the Small Business Task Force will be technical assistance programs, federal procurement programs, export and equity financing programs, capital access programs and information sharing, among others. "We will work together to ensure that the small businesses in your community take advantage of all the programs we have to offer at SBA," she noted.

Representatives of the SBA and the Conference of Mayors will meet semi-annually to plan specific activities and review progress on mutual objectives. The MOU will remain in effect through December 2004.

Cloutier expressed his thoughts on the MOU. "It is encouraging to see these two organizations combine resources for the good of small business. I look forward to working with both the SBA and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to bring government resources to small business owners on a state and federal level," Cloutier said.

Cochran also shared his thoughts on the significance of the MOU signing. "We look forward to working with the SBA to provide access to information and resources that can help small businesses maximize their potential for success," he said.

Following the MOU signing, Sabelhaus discussed the significance of small business, especially to the economic recovery. "The economy of America is strongest when the small businesses of America are their strongest," she noted.

Sabelhaus outlined additional opportunities for mayors with the SBA, including involvement in the SBA/US Department of Commerce Matchmaking events, which provide a unique opportunity for small businesses to present product and service solutions to buyers through prescheduled one-on-one appointments with procurement managers. A schedule of events is posted on the SBA web site.

Sabelhaus also encouraged mayors to look to their local SBA offices for assistance, noting that there are 70 district offices, serving every region in the U.S. She told mayors to call their District Director and she promised that within 24 hours that director would be in the mayor's office to talk about opportunities for small business.

Sabelhaus concluded by saying, "We are committed to you and we look forward to working together."

Information about the SBA can be found online at www.sba.gov.

For more information about Partner America, contact Jeff Bean, Managing Director, at 781-487-0461 or jbean@usmayors.org.