24 of 61 New Members of Congress Have Small Business Backgrounds

According to SBA's Office of Advocacy, over one-third of the new members of Congress have some small business background. See below the list of new lawmakers who have an entrepreneurial background.

U.S. Senate - 111th Congress

- Mark Begich (D-Alaska), property development company owner.

- Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), computer repair company owner.

- Jim Risch (R-Idaho), lawyer, rancher, and former trailer company owner.

- Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), former jewelry store owner.

- Mark Warner (D-Virginia), telecommunications and technology venture capitalist.

U.S. House of Representatives - 111th Congress

- Steve Austria (R-Ohio, 7th District), financial services firm owner.

- Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah, 3rd District), public relations firm owner.

- Mike Coffman (R-Colorado, 6th District), founded two property management companies and a leasing firm.

- Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pennsylvania, 3rd District), landscape architecture business owner.

- John Fleming (R-Louisiana, 4th District), physician; sandwich shop owner.

- Alan Grayson (D-Florida, 8th District), first president of a phone services company; investor in small companies.

- Parker Griffith (R-Alabama, 5th District), physician; owner of a funeral home and a nursing home; real estate developer.

- Brett Guthrie (R-Kentucky, 2nd District), vice president of family owned automobile die-casting business.

- Suzanne Kosmas (D-Florida, 24th District), real estate company owner.

- Chris Lee (R-New York, 26th District), executive of family-owned shock absorber manufacturing business.

- Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri, 9th District), co-owner and manager of family-owned bank and insurance agency; rancher.

- Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming, At Large), manages family ranch operation.

- Betsy Markey (D-Colorado, 4th District), ice cream and coffee shop owner; web services company owner.

- Walt Minnick (D-Idaho, 1st District), founder of gardening retailer chain.

- Chellie Pingree (D-Maine, 1st District), inn and restaurant owner; former owner of knitting and craft business; farmer.

- Jared Polis (D-Colorado, 2nd District), Internet entrepreneur and venture capitalist; at-risk charter schools founder.

- Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon, 5th District), small business owner; veterinarian; farmer.

- Aaron Schock (R-Illinois, 18th District), real estate developer and home improvement company owner.

- Harry Teague (D-New Mexico, 2nd District), oil well services company owner.

Welcome!

If you are starting, expanding or have questions of where you want your small business to go call the Arizona Western College (AWC) Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

We offer quality business and economic assistance through counseling, research and information to all business needs in the Yuma and La Paz counties.

Program Mission Statement

The SBDC program mission is designed to enhance the economies of Yuma and La Paz Counties by providing up-to-date counseling, training, and technical assistance for the business communities.

Program Values

Support from community partnerships support our entrepreneurial education and technical assistance for our clients. The SBDC is committed to delivering high quality expertise consistent with the institution's 6-E model of excellence.

All SBDC programs are non-discriminatory and open to the public. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilites will be made, if requested at least two weeks in advance. Please contact AWC SBDC at (928) 317-6151.

The Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center is partially funded under Cooperative Agreement No. 2-603001-Q-0003-10 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The support given by the U.S. Small Business Administration through such funding does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any of the co sponsor(s) or participants' opinions, findings, conclusion, recommendations, products, or services.

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