Irvington Mayor Sara B. Bost urges small business participants to take advantage of the federal, state, and local programs and agencies represented at the May 16 Irvington Partner America Small Business Event. The seminar included a discussion on private sector resources led by American Management Services Chairman and CEO, George A. Cloutier and two Irvington business leaders, Lewis Polk, President of Aristo Crafts Trains and Howard Woliver of Sasson s Youthworld. Topics included small business growth and expansion with personal anecdotes from the two successful local small businesses. The second was a panel discussion that dealt with federal, state and local programs and procurement opportunities available to small business. Representatives from the Newark offices of the Small Business Administration and the Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, the Export-Import Bank of the US, the New Jersey Commerce Department and the Economic Development Authority provided overviews of the programs and resources that are available to small businesses.
Small businesses are responsible for today s strong national and local economy.
The contribution of providing jobs, products and services strengthen the local community s economic and social infrastructure by increasing the tax base and generating funding for the cities and towns in which they do business, said Irvington Mayor Sara Bost. Through Partner America , the Conference, American Management and local Mayors will aggressively advocate for small business development and growth. The Partner America small business events are designed to promote growth and development for small business owners across the United States. Partner America will be rolled-out in hundreds of cities across the nation over the next decade. Initially it begins in cities throughout the eastern United States and migrates to cities in the West.