CAMEO Bids Small Business Administration Leaders a Fond Farewell
Karen Mills and Marie Johns, number 1 and number 2 (respectively) at the Small Business Administration have both resigned within days of each other. CAMEO recognizes the work they have done to bolster small business, open up the capital markets, serve entrepreneurs and promote job creation in a very difficult economic climate, and suggests four ways in which the SBA can continue their work.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 12, 2013
Two leaders of the Small Business Administration are stepping down. On Monday, Karen Mills resigned as administrator of the Small Business Administration. And last week Deputy Administrator Marie Johns, announced that she will be leaving in May. CAMEO recognizes the work they have done to bolster small business, open up the capital markets, serve entrepreneurs and promote job creation in a very difficult economic climate.
The SBA accomplishments in the last four years that are of particular interest to the very small, micro-businesses, include the increase in community lending and a strengthening of its entrepreneurial training network of Small Business Development Centers, SCORE chapters and Women’s Business Centers.
Perhaps the most significant accomplishment of the tenure was that the head of the SBA was elevated to cabinet-level. By doing so, President Obama recognized the extreme importance that the 28 million small and very small businesses hold for the American economy.
CAMEO thanks both women for the job they have done to advocate for small business and wish them the best for their next endeavors. We are sad to see a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship in under-served communities leave the post.
We also look to the Small Business Administration to continue to its work and increase efforts to support under-served populations and the 88% of businesses who have fewer than five employees. The next step is to make sure the full spectrum of entrepreneurial talent is tapped – from the young tech start-up to the experienced boomer who is becoming her own boss to the taco shop owner who is providing for his family to the long-term unemployed who has turned business owner.
Four policies the SBA could follow that would support micro-business:
1. Preserve funding for their PRIME program which supports community-based entrepreneurial training organizations.
2. Fund community-based entrepreneurial training for veterans.
3. Support structural change to include self-employment in the Workforce system.
4. Encourage de-bundling of large government contracts.
About CAMEO
Our mission is to grow a healthy, vibrant, thriving environment for all entrepreneurs and start-up businesses by advancing the work of our statewide member network. In 2011, CAMEO members served 21,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance and loans. These firms – largely start-ups with less than five employees – supported or created 37,000 new jobs in California.
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