Sen. Landrieu lauded for efforts to boost small businesses

The Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA) on Wednesday honored U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), the Chairwoman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, for her hard work and dedication to U.S. small businesses and the investors who support them.

“SBIA is pleased to present the 2013 SBIA Champion of Small Business Investing Award to Chairwoman Landrieu,” said Brett Palmer, president of SBIA, the premier organization of lower middle market private equity funds and investors. “Chairwoman Landrieu has worked tirelessly on behalf of small-business investors by championing public policies that increase capital flowing to successful small businesses. Because of these efforts, more resources are available to help small business grow and create jobs.”

“I am honored that the Small Business Investor Alliance gave me this award,” said Senator Landrieu. “When I talk to small business owners in Louisiana and across the country, one of the things I hear most is that access to capital is still a significant challenge. One common-sense way to help small businesses is to strengthen the already-successful SBIC program, which has helped companies like Apple, Fed Ex, Callaway Golf, and Outback Steakhouse become household names. That is why I introduced the Excel Act, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to move forward on passing it as quickly as possible.”

“Our team at LongueVue Capital would like to congratulate Senator Landrieu for winning the SBIA Champion of Small Busi­ness Investing award,” said John McNamara, co-founder and managing partner of LongueVue Capital, a small business investment fund based in New Orleans, Louisiana. “As the chairwoman of the Small Business and Entre­preneurship Committee, we thank her for introducing a bill to improve access to capital for small businesses and for working diligently to make our case in Washington.”

“As a small business investor from the Pelican state, we are thankful for Sen. Landrieu’s leadership and congratulate her for winning SBIA’s Champion of Small Business Investing award,” said Bill Harper, co-founder of Jefferson Capital Partners, a small business investment fund based in Mandeville, La. “Sen. Landrieu has worked to increase capital access for small businesses as the Chairwoman of the Senate Small Business Committee. This award recognizes her ongoing commitment to small-business investors.”

The award was presented to Chairwoman Landrieu during SBIA’s third annual DC Fly-In event on March 13, when SBIA members from across the nation came to Washington to meet with policymakers. “This year our members spoke to policymakers about promoting a stable tax structure that encourages investment, strengthening the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, and making common sense reforms to many financial regulations,” said Palmer.

The Small Business Investor Alliance is the premier organization of lower middle market private equity funds and investors. SBIA members provide vital capital to small and medium-sized businesses nationwide, resulting in economic growth and job creation. SBIA has been playing a pivotal role in promoting the growth and vitality of the industry for more than 50 years. For more information, visit www.sbia.org or call (202) 628-5055.

This article originally published in the March 18, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.