SBA Announces Mark Cuban, Chef José Andrés, and White House Senior Advisor Cedric Richmond as Keynote Speakers for National Small Business Week (NSBW) Virtual Summit 2021

Washington, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced today the full speaker slate for National Small Business Week, including entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Chef José Andrés, and White House Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond.  The National Small Business Week Virtual Summit takes place September 13-15, 2021. The theme for this year’s event is Celebrating Resilience and Renewal, spotlighting the resilience of America’s entrepreneurs and the renewal of the small business economy as they build back better from the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. 

Administrator Guzman will kick off National Small Business Week with an opening address on September 13. In addition to this and the new keynote speakers, other panelists and participants will include Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles, Calif.; Mayor Steve Adler, Austin, Texas; Mayor Regina Romero, Tucson, Ariz.; Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago, Ill.; Tarik Brooks, President of Combs Enterprises, and Oisin Hanrahan, Chief Executive Officer of Angi’s.

NSBW Virtual Summit Speakers Line up

Monday, September 13 - “Getting Back on Track: Resources to Build Back Better”

• Opening Keynote Address by: Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA Administrator (11-11:30 a.m. EDT)
• Keynote Address by: Cedric Richmond, White House Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement (11-11:30 a.m. EDT)
• Keynote Address by: Mark Cuban, Entrepreneur (11-11:30 a.m. EDT)
• “Life after COVID - A Fireside Chat with SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and Restaurateur Chef José Andrés”- José Andrés, Chef, Restaurateur and Founder of World Central Kitchen (12:40-1:10 p.m. EDT)
  

Tuesday, September 14 - “Better Serving Small Businesses and Underserved Communities”

• “Support Latino Biz: How these Mayors are Leading the Way” – (3:40-4:40 p.m. EDT)
• Participants: Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles, Calif.; Mayor Steve Adler, Austin, Texas; Mayor Regina Romero, Tucson, Ariz.; Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago, Ill. 
• Moderator: Antwaun Griffin, Chief of Staff for the SBA
• Special Remarks by: Tarik Brooks, Chief Operating Officer of Combs Enterprises, will speak on the importance of Black and Brown communities coming together to support each other. (4:45-5:00 p.m. EDT)

Wednesday, September 15 - “Continuance to Support Resilience and Renewal”

• Special Remarks by: Oisin Hanrahan, Chief Executive Officer of Angi’s (formerly Angie’s List), will share small business experiences as well as trends and insights on how Angi’s has maneuvered through the pandemic and positioned for the future.

Biographies for Keynote Speakers

Cedric Richmond: White House Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement

Cedric Richmond is an attorney and former Democratic Congressman for Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District from 2011-2021. Richmond now serves as senior advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Mark Cuban: Entrepreneur

Mark Cuban is an entrepreneur, television personality, and media proprietor. He is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team of the National Basketball Association, co-owner of 2929 Entertainment, and chairman of AXS-TV. He is also one of the main “shark” investors on the hit ABC reality TV series “Shark Tank.” 

José Andrés: Chef, Restaurateur, and Founder of World Central Kitchen

José Andrés is a chef, restaurateur, and founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.  He is often credited with bringing the small plates dining concept to America. He owns restaurants in Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Las Vegas, Nev.; South Beach Miami and Orlando, Fla.; Chicago, Ill., and New York, N.Y.  Andrés received the National Humanities Medal at a White House ceremony in 2016. In 2018, Andrés’ World Central Kitchen provided meals to furloughed federal employees during the federal government shutdown. 

Administrator Guzman announced National Small Business Week 2021 in a news release last month. The free, three-day conference will take place in a virtual atrium, which will showcase a series of educational panels on best practices for small businesses to pivot and recover in a changing economy. NSBW events this year will also provide a forum where business owners will be able to get expert advice, learn new business strategies, connect with industry experts, and meet other business owners as they look to pivot and recover. Additional speakers will be announced. Details and information will be posted on https://www.sba.gov/NSBW  as events are finalized. 

To register for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit and participate in summit workshops, please visit http://www.sba.gov/NSBW. All events will be live-streamed and will use the event hashtag #SmallBusinessWeek.

Cosponsorship Authorization #21-21-C. SBA’s participation in this Cosponsored Activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least two weeks in advance, by contacting [email protected]. SCORE is partially funded by SBA Cooperative Agreement No. SBAHQ-14-S-0001.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

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