COLUMBIA, S.C. – On May 4 and 5, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, will join the “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship” bus tour to celebrate National Small Business Week 2022 in South Carolina. Administrator Guzman will visit a total of nine cities across the country and, in collaboration with the SBA’s local offices, join local elected officials to celebrate America’s small businesses who have played an integral role in powering our nation’s historically strong economic comeback.
The “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship” tour will take place May 2-5 and feature stops in San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; Columbia and Richburg, South Carolina; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Norfolk, Virginia.
South Carolina Stops
May 4, 2022: Columbia, SC
5:15 pm:
Tour of Women’s Business Center, Benedict College
5:15 pm, Wednesday, May 4, 2022
WBC Benedict College
2601 Read St.
Columbia SC
- SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman
- Daniel Rickenmann, City of Columbia Mayor
- Rev Edward “Ed” McDowell Jr., Councilman, City of Columbia
- Dr. Roslyn Artis, President, Benedict College
- SBA Regional Administrator Allen Thomas
- SBA South Carolina Deputy District Director Michael Corp
Administrator Guzman and local leadership will tour the Women’s Business Center located at Benedict College: one of three in South Carolina (and eight nationwide) located on the campus of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). She will also participate in a roundtable discussion with local community leaders, Community Navigators, small businesses, and small business resource partners to discuss current SBA initiatives, the Community Navigator Program, the current business environment, and the resources available.
May 5, 2022: Richburg, SC
11:00 am:
Administrator Tour of Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) Research Center
11:00 am, Thursday, May 5, 2022
5335 Richburg Rd, Richburg, SC 29729
- SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman
- Francisco Sanchez, Associate Administrator, SBA Office of Disaster Assistance
- Kendall Corley, SBA Deputy Chief of Staff
- Warren Miller, Senior Advisor, SBA Office of Disaster Assistance
Administrator Guzman will tour IBHS and discuss the impact of Climate Change on the nation. She will be accompanied by SBA leadership from SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Severe weather disrupts lives, displaces families, and drives financial loss. IBHS translates science into action creating a backbone for communities to better survive a natural disaster.
For more information about bus tour stops, National Small Business Week, and other event information, visit www.sba.gov/NSBW. Media interested in scheduling interviews with Administrator Guzman should contact lola.kress@sba.gov.
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About National Small Business Week
For nearly 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they are working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.