07/19/2004
For many, being involved in small business leads them to NFIB, but for Jeff Hill, it was the other way around.
Hill joined NFIB as a member of the state Senate, where he worked frequently with NFIB lobbyists over the course of his six two-year terms. When he left the Senate, he established Hill and Hill Accounting as a full-service accounting, tax and lobbyist representation business -- a venture he initiated part time during his 12 years in the Capitol.
Hill wasn't always ensconced in small business, however; prior to being elected to the Senate, he worked as a senior accountant for a copper mine.
"I spent 11 years working for the copper mine, but in the Senate I essentially operated as a small business," Hill says. "I like the ability to take direct approaches in decision-making. When I left the Senate, I wanted to be my own boss. Being a business owner allows me to effect decisions more quickly, and it gives me the flexibility to help out with campaigns and political efforts."
Hill has been politically active since his youth, working with the Republican Party on a number of campaigns, including Barry Goldwater's and Richard Nixon's bids for the presidency. As an elected official himself, he found new avenues for activism, serving on legislative committees and sponsoring small-business legislation.
"Over the years, I had occasions to work closely with NFIB lobbyists, and I received the Guardian Award for my 100 percent voting record in support of small business," Hill notes.
As a senator, Hill chaired the Finance Committee for three terms, and he sponsored a successful bill to restrict state agencies from competing with small businesses through establishment of the Private Enterprise Review Board. In his last term, the GOP caucus elected him Majority Whip, the No. 3 position in the Senate.
"I've always been very aggressive to ensure legislation is helpful to small business," he says.
Hill continues to be an active supporter of small business, attending legislative hearings, taking issues to Washington, D.C., and serving on the NFIB Leadership Council. He also helps distribute NFIB awards to lawmakers, using his position as a former senator to impress upon them both the clout of the organization and the importance of supporting legislation that benefits small business.
As a business owner, Hill also tells his clients -- predominantly small businesses -- about the benefits of joining NFIB.
"There is power in numbers," he says. "For small businesses, NFIB is the best representative because it comprises small businesses exclusively. The Chamber of Commerce can be trumped by larger businesses, but no one can buy NFIB because there's a limit on how much you can give to the organization."
Hill believes small business plays an important role in the U.S. economy, but he notes that it also plays an important role in his family.
"I left the Senate because I had two small children and a 120-mile commute every week," says Hill, whose wife is also a business owner and NFIB member. "Self-employment works for me because I'm near home and can home-school my children. I can raise my kids more easily as a small-business owner."
