By Kathryn Kretschmer-Weyland
July 30, 2007

Leominster (MA) Mayor Dean Mazzarella hosted the city’s first Partner America™ Small Business Conference on June 12. The event, held to discuss and promote small business development in Leominster, was a huge success and helped spur a greater interest in small business programs offered by city, state and federal agencies.

Working with Partner America™, Mazzarella assembled a panel of experts who offered their insights on the state of small business in the city. Lou Mosca, Executive Vice President of American Management Services (AMS), on behalf of George Cloutier, Partner America™ Chairman and CEO of AMS, gave a rousing presentation to the small business owners. Mosca, who served as the day’s keynote speaker, imparted some of the wisdom he has gained 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 during the past 20 years.

“Small business is not only the cornerstone of communities like Leominster, but of our national economy,” said Mosca. “Getting through the local, state, and federal offices and completing the necessary paperwork is a daunting task for a business with just a few employees. However, it is imperative that small businesses get the assistance they deserve, and it is our goal to help them take advantage of the wealth of resources earmarked for small business and to achieve the profits they deserve.”

Joining Mosca was Alison Berglund, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Stephen Adams, SBA Regional Advocate; Matthew Sisk, US General Services Administration; and Michael Holbrook, Senior Management Counselor at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

“This event was a huge success, leaving the members of our business community asking, ‘what’s next?’” said Mazzarella. “There are more than 1,400 small businesses in Leominster, a community whose success has a very significant impact on the health of our local economy and it is imperative that we support their growth on every level. This conference was the perfect launching pad for the future success of our local business owners.”

For additional information on Partner America or to schedule an event in your city, contact Jeffrey Bean, Managing Director at 202-446-8140 or send e-mail to jbean@usmayors.org.