Business for Shared Prosperity

*** Available for Interview ***

CONTACT: Bob Keener, 617-610-6766, bobkeener@businessforsharedprosperity.org

Washington, DC, April 28, 2010 — While Wall Street and big business lobbyists work to scuttle or weaken financial reforms, Main Street business leaders throughout the nation support strong reform as essential for small businesses, consumers and a healthy economy.

“Let’s end the charade of Wall Street-financed lobbyists claiming to speak for small business when opposing financial reform,” said small business owner Lewis Prince, CEO of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis. “Politicians should listen to the business owners who didn’t wreck the economy and want real reform to prevent a repeat.”

Tim Duncan, chairman of American Business Leaders for Financial Reform, said, “Over the last decade, the financial system funneled trillions of dollars of capital into risky mortgages, complex derivatives and speculative exotic investments and stood by while the value of these securities went up in smoke. At the same time, we’ve experienced massive under-investment in entrepreneurs, new technology and health care -- the type of investments that create jobs, prosperity and a solid tax base. It’s time for senators to stop looking out for the Wall Street bankers that created the financial crisis and instead represent the interests of the people who elected them by passing financial reform now.”

U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce CEO Margot Dorfman said, “The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce stands squarely behind the needs of America’s job-creating Main Street small businesses in asking Congress to represent our interests by bringing strong transparency, oversight and accountability to Wall Street. We know that the great American entrepreneurial spirit is linked to serving the needs of our families and communities -- not jeopardizing our future through the sale of deceptive products, ruthless looting of American earnings and savings, and scurrilous rigged betting on investment failures costing people their homes, businesses, jobs and retirements. We call upon Congress to pass strong, comprehensive financial reform, including the creation of a truly independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency.”

South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce CEO Frank Knapp Jr. said, “Without the financial reform that includes a strong, independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency, the ‘too big to fail’ banks will go back to their own greedy, irresponsible and even fraudulent ways -- and they will fail all of us again. Small business owners play by the rules and work far too hard to deserve this big bank-made disaster. That’s why the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and Business for Shared Prosperity speak with one voice. Support small business or protect the big banks and Wall Street. This should be an easy decision for every senator.”

J. Kelly Conklin, president of Foley-Waite Associates, an architectural woodworking company in Bloomfield, NJ, said, “Among those most likely to fall victim to the worst practices of the banking and credit industries are the elderly, young people and small business owners. Hidden fees, impenetrable contract language and baited offerings are the kinds of traps employed that encourage people to make bad decisions. Oversight is long overdue. The CFPA is a cornerstone of financial reforms.”

Brian Radford, owner of Virginia Beach restaurant HK on the Bay and a leader in the Virginia Main Street Alliance, said, “Small businesses have borne the brunt of this crisis, and Wall Street has gone back to fiddling -- and handing out massive bonuses -- while the Main Street economy keeps burning. Wall Street dug the ground right out from under us, and they’ll do it again if we let them. That’s why we need strong financial reform for consumers, including small businesses and the customers we rely on.”

Lya Sorano, founder of Atlanta Women in Business, said, “We need real financial reform to alleviate the severe pressure on small businesses now and prevent a future meltdown. In the 1990’s, Washington made the mistake of not listening to Brooksley Born, whose attempts as head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to regulate the derivatives markets were thwarted every step of the way. We need to make sure we don’t make the same mistake today by failing to establish a strong, independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency.”

These business leaders were among hundreds signing a statement to Congress supporting a strong, independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency < http://businessforsharedprosperity.org/Financial%20Reform>. The statement was sponsored by Business for Shared Prosperity, an independent network of forward-thinking business owners, executives and investors.

Additional business owners and executives are available for comment, including:
Wendy Rosen, President, American Made Alliance
Roger Smith, CEO, American Income Life Insurance Company
Michael Kieschnick, President, CREDO Mobile
Adnan Durrani, CEO, American Halal
Peter Strugatz, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, IceStone, Brooklyn, NY
Jeffrey Hollender, Executive Chairman/CoFounder, Seventh Generation
Rob Seltzer, Owner/President, Robert S. Seltzer, CPA/PFS, Malibu, CA
Cristina Canazares, Partner, Global Garage, Breckenridge, CO
Steven DiChiaro, President/Owner, American Income Life-Colorado, Denver, CO
Kevin Galvin, President, Connecticut Commercial Maintenance, Inc., West Hartford, CT
Jessie Keener, Doctor, Point Pleasant Wellness Spa, Wilton Manors, FL
David Hempel, President, Eble Music Co., Iowa City, IA
Scot McGavin, Owner, Puentes Language Programs, Boise, ID
Greg Owen-Boger, President, OwenProCo, Inc., Chicago, IL
John Glenn, Principal, The Glenn Connection, St. Charles, IL
James Jachimiak, Owner, Square Deal Contracting, Franklin, IN
Camille Moran, Christmas Tree Farm Owner, Certified Paralegal, Caramor Industries, Natchitoches, LA
Rob Howe, President, Sustainnovation, Beverly, MA
James Boyle, CEO, Sustainability Roundtable Inc, Lexington, MA
Tyrone Conard, State General Agent, Conard Agency/AIL, Lanham, MD
Alan Gregerman, President and Chief Innovation Officer, VENTURE WORKS Inc., Silver Spring, MD
Robert Mauri, Business Partner, Lakeside Dental, Gaithersburg, MD
Halcyon Blake, President, Halcyon Yarn, Inc, Bath ME
John Costin, Owner, Veneer Services Unlimited, Kennebunk, ME
Robert Musolf, V.P. /Owner, Micky Sharpz USA, Asheville, NC
Benjamin Collins, Owner, Salins Group, Charlotte, NC
Steve Fernlund, Consultant, SFG Business Advisors, LLC, Las Vegas, NV
Rick Sprout, Owner, Two Rivers Bookstore, Binghamton, NY
Ajax Greene, Co-Founder, On Belay Business Advisors Inc, Gardiner, NY
Sandy Maine, CEO, Sunfeather Natural Soap Company, Potsdam, NY
Jeri Vespoli, President, Collaborative Marketing Services, Brecksville, OH
Mark Kellenbeck, COO, Cascade Management, Grants Pass, OR
Daniel Davis, CEO, Biodynamix LLC, Jacksonville, OR
John Fagot, President, Airplay Information Resources, Georgetown, TX
Blue Crump, CEO, Cityspace Solar, Inc., Richmond, VA
Molly Moon, Neitzel, Owner, Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, Seattle, WA

Full list of current signers at http://businessforsharedprosperity.org/Financial+Reform/CFPA/Business+St...

Contact Bob Keener, 617-610-6766, bobkeener@businessforsharedprosperity.org, to arrange interviews with these and other business people.

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