SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc. (NYSE: TRV),
today announced that it will bring its “Small Business – Big
Opportunity” symposia series to Seattle, Wash., on Thursday, April 10.
The Travelers Institute will partner with the Association
of Washington Business for the event, which will be held at the
Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center.
The symposium will convene local business thought leaders for a
discussion of the daily challenges facing small businesses and potential
solutions that could help encourage entrepreneurship and job creation.
“Seattle has seen recent encouraging signs of small business growth,”
said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive
Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers. “We look forward to
working with the Association of Washington Business to better understand
what is most important to entrepreneurs in the region and how to create
a small business-friendly environment.”
According to Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, the number of new
businesses opening since 2010 is nearly double that of businesses
closing, pointing to a strengthening business climate.
Rahim Rajan, Senior Program Officer for Postsecondary Success at the
Gates Foundation, will provide a keynote address. Woodward will then
moderate a panel discussion, which includes the following veteran
industry professionals: Brian Bonlender, Director, Washington State
Department of Commerce; Gary Chandler, Vice President, Government
Affairs, Association of Washington Business; Kim Krogh, Senior
Commercial Account Executive, Fidelity Associates; and Walter
McLaughlin, Senior Vice President, SBA Manager, Banner Bank.
Chandler, a former Washington state representative and a small business
owner, will provide insight into how legislators can do more to help
small businesses succeed.
“Washington’s economy can benefit if we lessen the regulatory burden on
small business owners,” said Chandler. “We need to understand their
concerns and think critically about the difference between necessary and
excessive regulation.”
The Travelers Institute launched “Small Business – Big Opportunity” in
2011 to raise awareness on a variety of concerns for the country’s
nearly 28 million small businesses. For more information, visit the Travelers
Institute website and www.travelers.com.
About the Travelers Institute
The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers
Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy
topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and the financial
services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the
industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management and the technical
expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other
experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policy
makers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property
casualty insurance for auto,
home
and business.
For more information, visit www.Travelers.com.
About the Association of Washington Business
Formed in 1904, the Association of Washington Business is Washington’s
oldest and largest statewide business association, and includes more
than 8,100 members representing 700,000 employees. AWB serves as both
the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturing and technology
association. While its membership includes major employers like Boeing,
Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser, 90 percent of AWB members employ fewer than
100 people. More than half of AWB’s members employ fewer than 10. For
more about AWB, visit www.awb.org.
Media Contact:
The Travelers Institute
Luke Shane,
860-277-4090
lshane@travelers.com
Source: The Travelers Institute