Washington, D.C., Jan. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, joined John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman of the Council on Underserved Communities (CUC), to hold the first meeting of the reconvened council.
“I’m excited for this kick-off as the CUC and its important mission align perfectly with the core of what we came here to do at the SBA and across the federal government in the Biden-Harris Administration: Ensure our economy works for everyone so that we can build wealth in communities across America, and strengthen our global competitiveness,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman at the first convening held this week.
She continued, “I am hopeful in 2022 as I believe the SBA is strongly positioned to deliver on President Biden’s commitment to equity. And I know the CUC can be an impactful advisory group to advance the SBA’s work to meet our small businesses and entrepreneurs where they are and provide them with the capital, opportunities, knowledge, and networks to start and grow their American dream and build resilience -- regardless of demographic.”
The virtual meeting kicked off with introductions of the 15 members and a presentation by Administrator Guzman covering SBA’s efforts to uplift America’s small businesses since the start of the Biden Harris Administration. Following the overview of the SBA, the council members and viewers from the public heard directly from SBA program offices and their leadership around the work and priorities for the coming year.
CUC Chairman John W. Rogers, Jr. said, “I look forward to working with Administrator Guzman and the White House to expand equitable access to both capital and customers for small and diverse-owned businesses. I am confident the Council will bring creative and impactful ideas to the table as we advise the Small Business Administration.”
Towards the close of the meeting, council members discussed their areas of work for the next two years, which will focus on amplifying the SBA’s programs and messages, expanding equitable access to capital and resources, and opening doors of opportunity to contracting and procurement.
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About the Council on Underserved Communities
Established in 2010, the Council on Underserved Communities provides advice, ideas, and opinions on SBA programs, services, and issues of interest to small businesses in underserved communities. The members of the federal advisory committee will serve as an essential connection between the SBA and underserved small businesses to work towards creating new and insightful initiatives to spur economic growth, job creation, competitiveness, and sustainability across all communities.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. 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 or 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.
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