WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 9, 2016, Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will headline a conversation with Colombian Ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzón, Global Entrepreneurship Network President Jonathan Ortmans and 1776 Co-founder Donna Harris to highlight the mission of the upcoming Global SME Ministerial in Medellin, Colombia. The discussion will spotlight Colombia’s adoption of SBA’s Small Business Development Center model that provides technical assistance for aspiring entrepreneurs, which expands the Small Business Network of the Americas.
This conversation comes ahead of Contreras-Sweet’s travel to Bogota and Medellin, Colombia to host the 2nd Global SME Ministerial during the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress from March 10-15, 2016. More than a dozen Ministers and senior officials from around the world overseeing small business and entrepreneurship policy will participate in the event to share national entrepreneurship strategies and address opportunities and challenges for small and medium enterprises growth.
| WHO: | SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet Juan Carlos Pinzón, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States Jonathan Ortmans, President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network Donna Harris, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of 1776 |
| WHAT: | Conversation on the State of Global SME Ecosystem and Global SME Ministerial in Colombia |
| WHEN: | Wednesday, March 9, 2016 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET |
| WHERE: | 1776 1133 15th St., NW 12th Floor Washington, DC |
Media can RSVP to Iris Argueta iris.argueta@sba.gov or call (202) 957-7447.
ABOUT THE U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S.Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov
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