| (05/14/09) - More than 150 individuals
representing 90 small businesses attended a dinner at Tangier Restaurant to recognize
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic Wednesday evening, May 13, 2009. 
Mayor Plusquellic speaks before a group representing nearly 100
small businesses in Akron, discussing the state of the economy, its impact on small
enterprises and ways Akron does and can support small business.
They were there to see Mayor Plusquellic receive the Small
Business Advocate Award from Partner America. The event was sponsored by Partner
America™ and the U.S Conference of Mayors (USCM).
Plusquellic said, "Small business is the backbone of our community; it is the
innovation engine, a major source of employment a critical social and cultural center for
our community."
Seeing a need to help small business realize sustained growth and profitability, the
USCM formed Partner America™ as just such an economic development program to
revitalize metro areas
George Cloutier (kloo-tee AY) serves as Chairman of Partner America™, a unique,
small business growth program developed by American Management Services and the U.S.
Conference of Mayors. Cloutier presented the mayor with the award.
George Cloutier (R) presents the Small Business Advocate Award
from Partner America™ to Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic.
Formed in 2000, the program is the nation’s first
public-private small business resource initiative, providing management expertise,
technical assistance, education and government procurement opportunities to small
businesses across the nation.
George Cloutier is considered the nation’s leading small business expert, bringing
more than 30 years of small business experience to his roles as Founder, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of American Management Services, Inc.
END
Presentation (13k pdf) |
