Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2020

Biden for President Announces Launch of Small Business and Entrepreneurs Advisory Council

Today, Biden for President announced the Small Business and Entrepreneurs Advisory Council, a coalition of leaders dedicated to mobilizing small business owners and entrepreneurs to vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. As small businesses and entrepreneurs around the country grapple with the economic crisis brought on by President Trump’s failed response to COVID-19, these leaders are mobilizing to share Joe and Kamala’s plan to build back better through strong investment in small businesses, entrepreneurs, and jobs that will reignite America’s economy.

The Advisory Council includes more than two dozen entrepreneurs,  small business policy leaders, business mentors and startup founders that built iconic American companies who share Joe Biden’s vision for successful American small businesses. In addition to current and former small business owners and entrepreneurs, the council includes elected officials and former cabinet members committed to raising their voices and organizing their communities in support of the Biden-Harris campaign.

“America’s small businesses are facing one of the worst crises in American history thanks to President Trump’s inept management of COVID-19,” said Rhett Buttle, Biden for President National Business Advisor. “We’re honored to bring together this group of entrepreneurs and small business leaders. These leaders know that as president, Joe Biden will stand up and fight for small business, ensure we can get this virus under control and get small businesses and entrepreneurs the tools and resources to build back better.”

Members of the Small Business and Entrepreneurs Advisory Council include:

• Kareem Afzal, Co-owner, PDC Machines, Philadelphia, PA
• Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, SC
• Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder, Jeni’s Ice Creams, Columbus, OH
• Ron Busby, CEO, US Black Chambers, Inc.
• Rhett Buttle, National Business Advisor, Biden for President
• Ben Cardin, US Senator, Maryland
• Jane Castor, Mayor of Tampa, FL
• Greg Celestan, CEO, Celestar,  Tampa, FL
• Judy Chu, US Representative, CA-27
• Ben Cohen, Co-owner, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, South Burlington, VT
• Gregory and Subrina Collier, Owners/Operators, Uptown Yolk and Leah & Louise, Charlotte, NC
• Maria Contreras-Sweet, Former Administrator, US Small Business Administration
• Dwight Evans, US Representative PA-03
• Tiara Flynn, Owner/CEO, Sumnu Marketing, Las Vegas, NV
• Jerry Greenfield, Co-owner, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, South Burlington, VT
• John Hickenlooper, Former Governor of Colorado
• Marie Johns, Former Deputy Administrator, US Small Business Administration
• Esther Lee, Former Virginia Secretary of Commerce & Obama Administration Official, McLean, VA  
• Daniel Lubetzky, Executive Chairman, KIND Snacks, New York, NY
• Eddie Lucio, State Representative, Small Business Owner, Brownsville, TX
• Karen Mills, Former Administrator, US Small Business Administration
• Michael Solomonov, Chef and Co-owner, Zahav, Philadelphia, PA
• Dilawar Syed, CEO, Lumiata, San Mateo, CA
• Nydia Velazquez, US Representative (NY-07)
• Tom Vilsack, Former Governor of Iowa and former Secretary of Agriculture
• Andrew Yang, Entrepreneur, former presidential candidate, and Founder of Humanity Forward
• Pilar Guzmán Zavala, Owner and CEO, Half Moon Empanadas, Miami
• Anne Zimmerman, CPA and President, Zimmerman & Co. CPAs Inc., Cincinnati, OH

Biden for President is already organizing small business owners and entrepreneurs nationwide and in key battleground states. The events are targeted to key sections of the small business community, including Latino, African American, AAPI, Native American, women, rural, LGBTQ+, disabled and other diverse business owners and leaders. The organizing opportunities will mobilize the small business community in support of the Biden-Harris campaign, and provide an opportunity for small business leaders to connect, learn about Joe Biden’s plan for small business and get involved with the campaign.