State and Local Programs Win Awards for Successful Small Business Initiatives

Washington – Sixty state and local programs and leaders will receive the Vision 2000 Models of Excellence Award at Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference to be held on December 9-10, in Washington, D.C. Winners were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, which is sponsoring the awards program. Vision 2000 is designed to showcase outstanding initiatives that advance small business programs and policies in such categories as microenterprise development, regulatory reform, venture and seed capital development, and women business ownership.

"It is rewarding to find so many successful state and local small business initiatives," Chief Counsel for Advocacy Jere W. Glover said. "The communities served by and serving small businesses are receiving benefits in the form of new jobs, economic growth, and stability. Because of these efforts, small businesses will continue to lead the economy into a prosperous new millennium."

Models of Excellence awards will be given for the following specialties: community and economic development; entrepreneurial education; home-based business development; international trade; microenterprise development; minority business development; regulatory reform; rural development; small business advisory councils; small business advocacy; state small business conferences; tax incentive initiatives; technology; venture and seed capital development; women’s business development; and work force development.

In addition to the subject-specific awards, Chief Counsel Glover also identified eight programs and leaders to recognize with the Chief Counsel for Advocacy’s Award for Excellence in Advocacy. An additional 53 programs and leaders will receive special recognition awards for their models of excellence. Vision 2000 is the fourteenth conference of this type. The Office of Advocacy held its first state conference in 1978.

"If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we sincerely hope that the models of excellence will be widely emulated throughout the country. While these successful programs and policies suggest that we have come a long way since 1978, they still represent a beginning—not an end." Glover said.

State policymakers, state and local program directors, small business owners, and small business trade association executives will be in attendance. Co-sponsors of the event include the Association of Small Business Development Centers, the National Association for the Self-Employed, the National Business Association, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the National Federation of Independent Business, National Small Business United, the Small Business Legislative Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Vision 2000: The States and Small Business Conference will be held on Dec. 9-10, in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is located at 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20062. For more information about the conference and award winners, visit the Vision 2000 home page at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/vision.html. Inquiries about program content and awards may be directed to David Voight at (202) 205-6531 or a regional advocate. The conference coordinator, Barbara George can answer questions about registration and logistics. She can be reached at (202) 205-6934 or by e-mail at barbara.george@sba.gov.

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy was created by an act of Congress in 1976 to protect, strengthen and effectively represent the nation’s small businesses within the federal government. As part of this mandate, the office conducts policy studies and economic research on issues of concern to small business and publishes data on small business characteristics and contributions. For instant access to small business resources, statistics and research, visit the Office of Advocacy’s home page at http://www.sba.gov/ADVO/.

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