06/24/2009 Traveling North to Help Small Business Access Capital
6/26/2009
06/24/2009 Traveling North to Help Small Business Access Capital
June 24, 2009 Lt. Governor Lawton keynotes Northwest Regional Planning Commission’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
As part of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission’s (NWRPC) 50th Anniversary Celebration, Lt. Governor Lawton traveled to the Lodge at Crooked Lake in Siren for the Commission’s luncheon Wednesday. Lt. Governor Lawton was the keynote speaker at the event, which honored the 50th anniversary of the NWRPC, the oldest planning commission in Wisconsin.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton with NWRPC Executive Director Myron Schuster.
The NWRPC is a cooperation of Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn Counties and the tribal nations of Bad River, Red Cliff, Lac du Flambeau, Lac Courte Oreilles and St. Croix. Through this cooperation, the NWRPC provides the region with economic stability, professional services, housing programs and environmental services.
At the luncheon, Lt. Gov. Lawton lauded the NWRPC’s collaboration in cutting-edge regional economic development and self-sustaining work over the past 50 years, calling the event a historic celebration of the commission’s innovations that have served as a model for the rest of the state.
Bayfield’s Pie and Politics
Lt. Governor Lawton was the special guest for the Alliance for Sustainability’s 13th Annual Pie and Politics Celebration Wednesday at Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield. Pie and Politics is an annual event that promotes community sustainable development and raises money for sustainability initiatives in the Chequamegon Bay Region.
In her speech Lt. Governor Lawton discussed strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change locally, nationally and internationally.
Pictured Left: The Big Top Chautauqua tent and a rhubarb-blueberry pie!
About 500 business leaders, government officials, community organizations and citizens attended the event, which featured live music, a local foods picnic and pig roast, an exhibit fair, Frisbee golf and, of course, pie!
Attendees sampled over 100 pies after hearing from Lt. Governor Lawton and keynote speaker Phil Berry. Berry worked for eight years as Nike’s Director of Footwear Sustainability and developed sustainable products for Nike.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton and the Alliance for Sustainability’s organizing committee at Pie and Politics.
June 25 and 26 Lawton announces new opportunities for Wisconsin small businesses
Lt. Governor Lawton visited Superior, Rhinelander, Ashland and Green Bay on Thursday and Friday to announce the availability of new Small Business Administration (SBA) tools to ease the credit crunch for Northern Wisconsin small businesses and help them access capital.
The new SBA loan offerings, authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, make the loans more accessible by eliminating up-front fees on short-term working capital loans (increasing the guaranty to 90%) and on fixed asset, long-term larger loans;
expanding funding for the SBA microloan program through September 30th, 2010; and increasing the surety bond guarantee program for large construction projects from a maximum of $2 million to $5 million.
Pictured above) Lt. Governor Lawton announces the availability of new SBA tools in Green Bay at Jay Waino Excavating.
Lt. Governor Lawton visited small businesses to talk with business owners about the SBA loan programs.
“I’m pleased to see these new options are available to help Superior and Douglas County small businesses,” said David Minor, President/CEO of The Chamber serving Superior and Douglas County. “I encourage local 
businesses to take a look at these new options available to them through their lending institutions.”
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton in Superior with State Representative Nick Milroy.
Lt. Governor Lawton also announced that America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) Business Stabilization Loans are now available for financially-vulnerable businesses in need of temporary relief to keep their doors open. This temporary SBA program will provide deferred-payment, interest-free loans of up to $35,000 to viable small businesses that need help making payments on an existing loan for up to six months. The ARC loans, which will be distributed directly by commercial lenders, are 100 percent guaranteed by the SBA and have no SBA fees associated with them.
In Green Bay, Lt. Governor Lawton visited Jay Waino Excavating, a sewer and water company that also does site work for buildings and prepares land for new structures and structures scheduled for demolition. In the winter, the company now converts to a snow removal business.
With the help of the new SBA tools for small businesses, Jay Waino Excavating owner Al Gossen had a $22,500 loan fee waived.
Left) Ashland Mayor Ed Monroe, Lt. Governor Lawton, Ashland Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary McPhetridge
“Not having a fee on my loan resulted in big savings for me and the business,” Gossen said. “I have wanted my own business for years and this SBA loan made it possible. Now, we have 15 employees and a great operation. I would encourage businesses to check with their bank about these new options.”
Small businesses interested in learning more about these programs should visit www.sba.gov or www.ltgov.wisconsin.gov.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton and Rhinelander Mayor Richard Johns.
And on a lighter note…
Before introducing her, Superior Mayor Dave Ross jokes with Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton that “just this once” he’ll be a Lawton supporter for her efforts to help Superior’s small businesses.
The day prior, Lt. Governor Lawton had ribbed the mayor at the Northwest Regional Planning Commission saying he was measuring the drapes in the Office of the Lt. Governor when she met with him and other regional leaders at the state capitol.
