NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newtek Business Services, (Nasdaq:NEWT), The Small Business Authority, announced today its next live radio broadcast from "The Small Business Authority Studio" at 77WABC Radio in New York. The program, The Small Business Authority Hour, will be hosted by Barry Sloane, CEO, President and Chairman of Newtek Business Services and will be broadcasted on 770 AM or listen live at www.wabcradio.com, 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5th, 2011 following the popular Monica Crowley Show.
"We are truly excited about our upcoming show which will focus on the most pressing issue for small independent business owners today. What do small businesses do about health care for employees and their staff? Our guests are some of the most prominent experts in the United States on the history of business owners' providing health care. Our guests will also discuss the current chaotic state of health care due to The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Our experts will focus on the current state of the art issues of all small businesses regarding health care including but not limited to tax ramifications, and choosing the right health care provider. We will also focus on things independent business owners can do to reduce their cost to insure and minimize their risk for their business and employees," Barry Sloane, President and CEO of Newtek Business Services said.
Mr. Sloane, the host of The Small Business Authority Hour, and his health care experts will take questions from independent business owners during the live broadcast from 4:30pm-5:00pm by calling 1 (800) 848-9222 (WABC).
This program will feature:
Jerry Ganoni, President of Humana Small Business & Humana Specialty Benefits.
Mr. Ganoni is Humana's leader of the Small Business medical (2-99 size employers) and Specialty products segments which includes dental, vision, life, disability and workplace voluntary benefits. He has an extensive history with Humana. He joined Employers Health Insurance in 1990 as vice president of marketing. In 1993 he became the vice president of specialty products for Employers Health. Upon the acquisition of Employers Health Insurance by Humana in 1996, Jerry was instrumental in the creation of HumanaDental Insurance Company, becoming its president in 2000. In 2007 CompBenefits, Inc. along with KMG, Inc. were added to Humana's Specialty companies. These acquisitions expanded the dental and vision presence for Humana and launched Humana into the workplace voluntary benefits segment. Today, Humana Specialty Benefits is one of the top 10 largest specialty organizations in the country. In 2005, Jerry assumed additional responsibilities as the leader of Humana's Small Business segment. His creation of a value proposition around broker relations, simplicity and service has allowed the Small Business segment to retain its presence as a major player in the small business medical marketplace.
Evan Portnoy, President of Rampart Benefit Planning.
Mr. Portnoy is responsible for the organization's strategic direction and overall performance. Rampart Benefit Planning is part of the Rampart Group, which has business units that specialize in property and casualty insurance coverage, employee benefits, and life insurance, disability, and Long Term Care. Evan holds insurance licenses in multiple states for property and casualty insurance and life, accident and health insurance. He also is Series 7 licensed for his work in pension planning. His true role is to be a proactive advisor and consultant to the Rampart clients as they navigate the issues related to the risk management of their business operations.
Joel Boff, Partner and the New York Tax Practice Director for J.H. Cohn.
Mr. Boff is also a member of the Hospitality Practice and Retail and Consumer Products Industry Practice. Joel provides tax compliance and consulting services to clients in many industries including professional services, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, distribution and finance. Joel has a proactive role in providing efficient compliance services coupled with effective tax planning for J.H. Cohn clients. Joel graduated from Dickinson College, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and from Rutgers University Graduate School of Management with a Master of Business Administration degree in Professional Accounting. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Joel is also an active member of the Rutgers University Graduate School of Management Tax Advisory Board.
Staples of the The Small Business Authority Hour will be discussion of the latest news for small businesses, as well as focus on the SB authority small business index and the SB authority market sentiment survey. These market benchmarks for small business economic activity will be vetted and analyzed so the business owners can position and prepare their own companies for today's market and the market of the future.
The Small Business Authority Hour will have on its April 2nd, 2011 show, Bill Hampel, Chief Economist for the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), to discuss the small business lending environment. Mr. Hampel will also be available to discuss business owners' historic forms of financing as well as the future of small business finance. It will also feature Michael Minerva from Capital One Bank.
President and CEO, Barry Sloane said, "The Small Business Authority Hour will be great listening for small and independent business owners that need real time accurate information, data, and state-of-the-art developments to help their business grow and profit. This show is an extension of our corporate mission to help small business owners nationally and to further our position as The Small Business Authority."
About Newtek Business Services, Inc.
Newtek Business Services, The Small Business Authority, provides the following products and services:
- Electronic Payment Processing: eCommerce, electronic solutions to accept non-cash payments, including credit and debit cards, check conversion, remote deposit capture, ACH processing, and electronic gift and loyalty card programs.
- Web Hosting: Full-service web host which offers eCommerce solutions, shared and dedicated web hosting and related services including domain registration and online shopping cart tools.
- eCommerce: A suite of services that enable small businesses to get up and running on-line quickly and cost effectively, with integrated web design, payment processing and shopping cart services.
- Business Lending: Broad array of lending products including SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans.
- Insurance Services: Commercial and personal lines of insurance, including health and employee benefits in all 50 states, working with over 40 insurance carriers.
- Web Services: Customized web design and development services.
- Data Backup, Storage and Retrieval: Fast, secure, off-site data backup, storage and retrieval designed to meet the specific regulatory and compliance needs of any business.
- Accounts Receivable Financing: Receivable purchasing and financing services.
- Payroll: Complete payroll management and processing services.
Newtek Business Services, Inc., The Small Business Authority, is a direct distributor of a wide range of business services and financial products to the small- and medium-sized business market under the Newtek™ brand. Since 1999, Newtek has helped small- and medium-sized business owners realize their potential by providing them with the essential tools needed to manage and grow their businesses and to compete effectively in today's marketplace. Newtek provides its services to over 100,000 business accounts and has positioned the Newtek™ brand as a one-stop-shop provider of such business services. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are over 29.6 million small businesses in the United States, which in total represent 99.7% of all employer firms.
Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release including statements regarding Newtek's beliefs, expectations, intentions or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, intensified competition, operating problems and their impact on revenues and profit margins, anticipated future business strategies and financial performance, anticipated future number of customers, business prospects, legislative developments and similar matters. Risk factors, cautionary statements and other conditions which could cause Newtek's actual results to differ from management's current expectations are contained in Newtek's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through http://www.sec.gov.