Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices Announces National Leadership Council

Council to Drive Advocacy Efforts that Prioritize Small Business Growth and Main Street Jobs

February 4, 2021 – [NEW YORK, NY] – Today Goldman Sachs announced the creation of the 10,000 Small Businesses Voices National Leadership Council, which is composed of six graduates of the 10,000 Small Businesses program that represent our alumni across geographies and industries. The council will lead and help direct 10,000 Small Businesses Voices advocacy efforts around ongoing COVID-19 relief and policy changes that prioritize Main Street businesses and jobs.

Jessica Johnson-Cope, president and principal of Johnson Security Bureau, Inc. in New York, will serve as Chair of the National Leadership Council. Janice Jucker, co-owner of Three Brothers Bakery in Texas and Natalie Kaddas, CEO of Kaddas Enterprises in Utah, will serve as Vice Chairs. Other members include: Jill Bommarito, founder and CEO of Ethel’s Baking Company located in Michigan; Khari Parker, co-founder of Connie’s Chicken and Waffles in Maryland; and Bryan Pate, CEO of ElliptiGO, Inc. in California. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy and will be the engine of our nation’s recovery,” said Jessica Johnson-Cope, Chair of the 10,000 Small Business Voices National Leadership Council. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the advocacy work of our 10,000 strong community of small business owners this year. As small business owners ourselves, we are best positioned to deliver our message to our elected representatives.”

Launched in April 2020, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices is an initiative for program participants to organize and advocate for policies that matter to them. It builds on Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, which over the past decade has provided access to education, capital, and support services to more than 10,000 small business owners across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C.

On January 13th, over 2,000 small business owners from 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in a Virtual Hill Day with their representatives. In those meetings, the small business owners called on Congress to develop legislation on a number of issues, including a long-term recovery agenda that puts small businesses front and center. Business owners also advocated for long-term access to capital, a temporary liability shield to protect businesses operating during the pandemic, commercial rent deferrals or other rent assistance, and increased access to affordable child care for small businesses. These focus areas for legislative relief were developed by directly polling our alumni on the support they most desperately need from their government.

View 10,000 Small Businesses Voices National Leadership Council Biographies

To read the full Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices Small Business Agenda, please click here.

Contact:
Patrick Scanlan
Goldman Sachs & Co.
212-902-5400