News and Events
June 8, 2012
June 6, 2012
Accion's Gina Harman to Lead Small Business Working Group at CGI America 2012
Shaping the Future of Entrepreneurship
(New York, New York – June 6, 2012) – Accion’s U.S. Network,
the largest microfinance network in the United States, today announced
that CEO Gina Harman will advise the “Small Business: Paving the Way to
Main Street Confidence” working group at the second annual CGI America
meeting, a Clinton Global Initiative annual event focused on finding
solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States.
The working group will bring together lenders, businesses, and
thought leaders to identify the conditions necessary for the 27 million
American small businesses striving to survive and prosper. Together, the
group will explore access to capital, export strategies, technical
assistance, and supply chain integration as strategies for small
business growth.
“Small businesses represent 99.7 percent of our country’s employment
opportunities, so it is essential for leaders nationwide to work on
strategies and policies to support them.” said Ms. Harman. “I’m honored
to join this group of dedicated individuals working to do just that.”
This year’s CGI America meeting will take place in Chicago on June 7
and 8, with the Small Business working group convening at 10:30 AM CDT
on June 8.
About Accion in the U.S.
As the largest and only nationwide micro- and small business lending
network in the United States, Accion connects small business owners with
the accessible financing and advice it takes to create or grow healthy
businesses. Since 1991, the five members of Accion’s U.S. Network have
collectively made over 44,000 loans, totaling over $320 million.
Additionally, over 400,000 business owners across the nation have turned
to Accion for financial and business advice via workshops, online
tools, and one-on-one consultations. Globally, Accion is a world
pioneer in microfinance that is reaching millions of individuals. For
more information visit http://us.accion.org/.
About CGI America
President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative America
(CGI America) to address economic recovery in the United States. CGI
America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil
society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate
economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in
the United States. Since its first meeting in June 2011,CGI America
participants have made more than 100 commitments valued at $11.8
billion. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will
improve the lives of three million people, create or fill more than
150,000 jobs, and invest and loan $354 million to small and medium
enterprises in the United States. The 2012 CGI America meeting will take
place June 7-8 in Chicago. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global
Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement
innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual
Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel
Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and
NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI
members have made more than 2,100 commitments, which are already
improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180
countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be
valued at $69.2 billion.
CGI’s Annual Meeting is held each September in New York City. CGI
also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions
to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U),
which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address
pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more
information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.