06/10/2008
“Best of the best” activists honored at Summit closing dinner
CONTACT: Mike Diegel, 202-314-2004
WASHINGTON, D.C.--National Federation of Independent Business tonight honored the organization's four regional Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champions during the closing dinner of the 2008 National Small-Business Summit.
Each year, NFIB singles out a small business owner in all 50 states for special recognition and honors him or her with this prestigious award. This is the fifth year that the group has recognized small business owners who go the extra mile for America's entrepreneurs. The regional honors were conferred upon this year's winners by each region's state directors and public policy directors.
"We owe our considerable success in state capitals and in Washington, D.C., to our member activists," said Todd Stottlemyer, NFIB president and CEO. "We're grateful for all of the hard work they do to help protect and promote our free-enterprise system. This is an opportunity to recognize those members who are truly the ‘best of the best' advocates for NFIB and our members."
“This is an impressive group of people who have demonstrated that they are more than willing to commit their time and energy to make our country a better place to do business,” said John Cramp, president of Solveras Payment Systems. “We are proud to do our part to recognize and honor those contributions.”
This year's winners are:
East Region Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion
William G. Thornton, Thornton & Associates, Lebanon, Ohio
Thornton, an NFIB member since 1981, has participated in the group's many opportunities for leadership and involvement in small business issues facing state and federal lawmakers. Specifically, Thornton has participated in legislative meetings about such crucial small business issues as workers' compensation policies, legal reform and taxes. He also has served on the NFIB Board of Directors and was a charter member and chair of the Warren/Butler County NFIB Area Action Council. In addition, Thornton is actively involved with NFIB's Take Time to Teach initiative to introduce high school students to the concept of entrepreneurship.
Thornton currently operates a consulting service and spent many years at the helm of Thornton Gardens, one of the area's largest garden store, nursery and landscaping businesses. In this role, he and his team helped to develop an innovative new software program designed to help landscaping businesses keep track of inventory, labor costs and pricing.
West Region Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion
Billy Knorpp, Teknor, Inc / RVP Systems, Boise, Idaho
Knorpp is a two-time Idaho state small business champion winner. His NFIB peers consider him to be indefatigable in his defense of, and championing for, small business. He has testified before legislative committees in such a way that has won votes for small business due to his first-hand knowledge of having run an enterprise. This has made him supremely valuable on issues such as health care, tax policy, local options taxes, and personal property taxes.
Knorpp is the embodiment of the can-do spirit of American small business owners and a role model for those downsized from corporate life. When he fell victim to another round of corporate cuts, he decided it was time to join the ranks of the real engine of the American economy and start his own enterprise. Today, he is owner of RVP Systems, a 17-employee firm selling point-of-sale systems, cash registers and credit card processing.
Central Region Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion
Catherine Popp Hoffman, Law Office of Catherine Popp Hoffman, LLC, Zionsville, Ind.
Hoffman has been a remarkable advocate for the small business community while managing a small business as the head of her own law firm for more than 16 years, and in that time she has been a tireless promoter for small businesses not only in her community, but across the state of Indiana. In 2003, Hoffman created HB Capital, a venture capital business dedicated to creating new jobs in Indiana through creative financing and leveraging of the federal new market tax credit program in combination with other state and local tax incentive programs. HB Capital joined forces with the Community Bankers Association of Indiana to secure $19.5 million in tax credits for state employers.
Hoffman is dedicated to supporting fellow entrepreneurs, as well as attracting and cultivating new businesses to create jobs and spur development in communities all across the state. In four years, the HB Capital joint venture has facilitated financing for a $6.5 million paper plant manufacturing facility in Marion, a $10 million expansion for a 40-year-old, family-owned advanced gasket technology manufacturing company in Indianapolis, a $6 million office building for a Bloomington venture capital company that manufactures and develops advanced technology proton cancer treatment facilities and a family-owned $20 million water park in French Lick. As a result of these efforts, 400 new jobs have been created across Indiana.
South Region Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion
Bobra Bush, Telcom Corporation & Telcare Corporation, Boca Raton, Fla.
Bush has been an NFIB member for more 13 years and has attended every NFIB National Small-Business Summit since 1996. Her passion for politics and policy has established her as one of NFIB/Florida's key leaders, even leading her to make a bid for the Florida House in 2000.
As a member of the state's Leadership Council, Bush has been involved in rallying support for small business for years and often travels to Tallahassee to campaign on the issues. Over the years, she has built and maintained professional relationships with her local lawmakers and provides NFIB with great insights on policy and issues. Bush also understands the importance of growing NFIB's membership and used her company in a pilot program to help introduce prospective members to the organization.
Bush owns two businesses in Boca Raton. She launched Telcom Corporation in 1989. Telcom is a telecommunications consulting and contingency-based telephone bill auditing firm. In 1993, she started Telcare Corporation, a customer retention firm specializing in telephone and mail satisfaction surveys that help clients learn how their customers feel about their sales or service experience. Telcare also sends all-occasion greeting cards to customers on behalf of client companies.
