Congressman Rob Wittman, who represents Virginia’s 1st District, recently visited the Flory Small Business Center, Inc. and met with the Center’s President & CEO, Linda Decker.
As a result of redistricting, Virginia’s 1st District now includes the Flory Center’s location and Decker appreciated the opportunity to discuss the Center’s mission, capabilities and ways the two offices can work together to benefit our region’s small businesses.
During their candid discussion, Mrs. Decker was pleased to learn that Congressman Wittman is a former board chairman for a community bank and possesses in-depth knowledge of business financing, including programs available through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
He also sees the need for public education to teach financial literacy at every level from elementary school through college, an issue that Decker deems critical to small business owners. She sees smart, savvy business owners struggling to develop financial strategies and internal financial controls that are crucial to their ability to survive and thrive.
In depth financial education, beginning in kindergarten, would provide all citizens with the knowledge they need to conduct their financial lives successfully. Wittman noted that he continues to support legislation to generate increased economic activity and domestic job creation. He believes that less government interference allows businesses to grow, in turn growing the economy and helping to advance an economic renaissance.
When small business clients encounter specific issues with local, state, or federal agencies, Mrs. Decker often calls on elected officials at all levels of government to act as an intermediary to resolve concerns. Small business issues are non-partisan and we are fortunate to have elected officials at all levels that are willing to get involved and provide necessary assistance.
Wittman was re-elected for his fourth full term in the House of Representatives in November 2014. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Natural Resources. In addition to his strong support for our nation’s military men and women, he is known as a champion of the Chesapeake Bay.
Wittman has earned a solid reputation as an advocate for our men and women in uniform. The Quantico Marine Corps Base is located in the 1st District and within the Flory Center’s service area and the Center’s Board and staff emphasize the need to serve our nation’s veterans. The Center is honored to have worked with James “Jim” Etter, the founder of American Military University (AMU).
In the early days of the internet, when Etter was newly retired from the Marine Corps, he saw its potential to provide a quality education to active duty military personnel all over the world. His first rate training and keen focus are attributes that many of our nation’s veterans are able to bring to their new business ventures. AMU was later reorganized as American Public University System (APUS), and American Public University (APU) was founded. When APUS’s parent company, American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) went public, it was the NASDAQ’s second most successful domestic IPO of 2007.
The Flory Small Business Center, Inc. is a non-profit, tax exempt organization dedicated to business development, retention, and expansion. The Center’s active Board of Directors is composed of distinguished business people who work and reside throughout the Center’s service area and the Center’s economic development program is based on the needs and requests of the small businesses they serve.
The Flory Center is funded by Prince William County, the Prince William County Industrial Development Authority, and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. Decker points out that local entrepreneurs are fortunate that our jurisdictions are committed to assisting both existing small business owners and potential “start-up” businesses.
The Flory Center works with referrals from organizations, such as banks and elected officials, who understand what they do and want to insure that small businesses have access to the information and resources that they need to start, grow, and thrive. The Flory Center has been a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration since inception. For more information, contact the Flory Small Business Center, Inc. at 703-335-2500 or by email at [email protected].
