State Leaders Speak at Small Business Day

May 26, 2022 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

This year's event was the first in-person Small Business Day since before the pandemic

State Leaders Speak at Small Business Day

Small business owners from across the state met in Raleigh on Wednesday, May 25, for NFIB’s first in-person Small Business Day since before the pandemic. “Last year’s virtual meeting was a big success, but it was great seeing everyone face-to-face,” NFIB State Director Gregg Thompson said. This year’s Small Business Day luncheon drew nearly 200 NFIB members and their guests to the City Club Raleigh. Speakers included state Senate President Phil Berger, who thanked NFIB “for what y’all do to make North Carolina, really, the place that everybody ought to want to live and a lot of folks certainly want to live.” House Speaker Tim Moore, meanwhile, called NFIB “an amazing organization” and “the voice of small business in so many ways.” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson echoed those sentiments, telling the crowd that his office routinely checks in with NFIB. “When the big stuff comes up, one of the first calls I make is to you guys.” Later, Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall told owners that the number of businesses opening in the Tar Heel State has soared despite the pandemic and other economic setbacks. Finally, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby assured small business owners that the judicial branch will continue to ensure that state regulations “that go beyond what the statute authority might be.” Thompson said, “It was a great meeting, and I want to thank each of our speakers for joining us and talking about many of the issues that affect our members’ ability to own, operate and grow their businesses.”