Chamber Celebrates Small Business Month
Announces Awards Banquet & Keynote Speaker
The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, along with longtime partner and Premier Sponsor Southern Bank, will hold its annual Small Business Month Awards Banquet on Thursday, June 19, 2008 at Benvenue Country Club in recognition of the contributions of small business and their accomplishments in driving our economy. The program begins at 6:00 p.m.
What started as a week-long celebration of the area's small business successes has grown to encompass the entire month of June with activities designed to showcase business accomplishments through plant tours, "Lunch 'n' Learn" training sessions as well as seminars tailored to small business.
Small Business Month is highlighted by the Annual Awards Banquet on June 19, 2008, as The Chamber, along with the past 2007 Award winners, honor recipients of the Small Business Person of the Year; Minority Small Business Person of the Year; Small Business Woman of the Year; Rookie of the Year, Downtown Small Business of the Year and new this year – the Family Owned (Legacy) Small Business of the Year Award.
Keynote speaker for the banquet is Kenneth K. Moore, President and Founder of Andy's Cheesesteaks & Cheeseburgers. In 1991, with only a $500 to his name, Moore founded Andy's from the ashes of a defunct restaurant chain – the same company that he had been fired from. A company that would serve others by helping them with a unique business opportunity that would help them reach their own personal and financial goals and dreams. Through hard work and strict financial management, he has watched his one location in Goldsboro, NC, grow to 109 locations, staying true to his original promise of serving others to help them become successful. Today, this amazing opportunity and Moore's passion for servant leadership is the driving force behind Andy's growth and success, leading the individual owners and operators into a large company of community oriented stores.
Rocky Mount Area Chamber Chairman Bill Boddie stated, "Small business is the driving force of our area's economy and when you take a deeper look we really do have some very unique entrepreneurs and small business owners; we applaud their dedication to achieve the American Dream. I look forward to recognizing their achievements, honoring them among their peers and sharing these successes with the entire community."
Plant tours in support of Small Business Month are scheduled for June 9 at New Standard Corporation, June 11 at Pencell Plastics, June 17 at Babington Technology and on June 19 at Riverside Printing – all at 1:00 p.m. on noted dates. A seminar on June 10 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Powerpoint training will be held at Nash Community College and a Lunch 'n' Learn on June 19 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. will be held at Edgecombe Community College's Tarboro campus.
Tickets are available at $28 per person for the Small Business Awards Banquet by contacting 973-1211 or members may register for tickets online by visiting www.rockymountchamber.org and linking to the events calendar. Non-members interested in attending the program may contact The Chamber for more information.
Small Business Month Banquet & activities are sponsored by: Presenting Sponsors, Nash Health Care Systems and Web Point IT Solutions; Gold Sponsors, Embarq and Wade Designs Jewelry; Co-Sponsors Allegra Print & Imaging, Bobby Murray Toyota, Cavalier Sealcoating, Dianne's Bridal, Grace Covenant Church, Sunset Studios LLC, Northside Family Pharmacies, Tatum LLC; and Annual Sustaining Partners Edgecombe Community College Small Business Center, Nash Community College Small Business Center, Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, Rocky Mount-Edgecombe Community Development Corporation and the Small Business & Technology Development Center.
As our area's small business achievements are recognized, it is important to realize how small business drives our economy. Here are some vital statistics on small business documented by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy: There are approximately 24 million small businesses in the U.S. with 5.6 million firms with employees; small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employers; over 90 percent of total business establishments employ fewer than 50 persons; small businesses employ 53 percent of the private workforce; retail, service providers, and finance/insurance/real estate make up over three quarters of all small business in North Carolina; small businesses provide approximately 75 percent of the net new jobs added to the economy, represent 96 percent of all U.S. exporters and provide 55 percent of all innovations.
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