BENNETT’S RURAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE BRINGS SOUND ADVICE TO NORTHERN UTAH

LOGAN, UTAH — Over 400 small business owners, and local, state government, and economic development officials met at Utah State University in Logan May 30 and 31, 2007 for the Sixth Annual Rural Business Conference co-hosted by Senator Bob Bennett to learn how to gain a competitive edge in Utah’s smaller communities.

“Small business is at the heart of Utah’s growing economy. It’s always a pleasure for me to visit the rural parts of the state and learn how local companies use innovative ideas to expand into the global marketplace,” said Bennett, who joins with the Utah Rural Development Council each year for the conference.  “Whether people have two or 200 employees, this year’s speakers and breakout sessions helped entrepreneurs learn to plan for the future, run competitive businesses, and connect to the resources available to them.”   

Given the burden increased health care costs have on small businesses, Bennett discussed a new proposal, the Healthy Americans Act, he and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced to address this growing problem.   

Bennett noted, “There is no other area of business where costs are going up and morale of employees is going down faster than health care. Senator Wyden and I want to make some fundamental changes to the current system so that Americans have health care that is portable, accessible and driven by competitive market forces.”

Alan Hall, founder and chairman of MarketStar, an international marketing firm based in Ogden, Utah, gave the keynote address on Wednesday. He shared seven principles and practical ideas he learned from starting and operating multiple businesses, all focusing on valuing customers and employees.

“Focus your business culture on volunteerism and involve your employees every day about how they can give back to their community. Understanding your company’s core values and culture will not only increase your profits, but more importantly the morale of your employees,” said Hall.

A common theme throughout the nine breakout sessions was increasing productivity by implementing new, ground-breaking strategies. Session topics included: entrepreneurial agriculture, blogging to build business, market branding, small business financing, protecting digital information, and diversifying farm revenue.

During the Thursday morning session, Steven Preston, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) said, “Small business is essential to the economic health of American rural communities, many of which suffer from higher poverty and unemployment levels than the rest of our country. I am thankful that Senator Bennett is hosting this important forum to support rural business. At the SBA, we are heavily focused on expanding the agency’s support of rural entrepreneurs through targeted lending and outreach programs.”

The conference also featured a business expo, which allowed attendees to network while learning about the products and services exhibited by over 50 local, regional, and national companies.

Bennett recognized and thanked the event sponsors, whose generous contributions make the conference possible and affordable. This year’s conference builds on the success of previous events held in Vernal, Price, Richfield, St. George, and Cedar City. Keynote speakers have included: Governor Jon Huntsman, former BLM Director Kathleen Clark, Utah entrepreneur Larry Miller, and eBay CEO Meg Whitman.  

The conference’s co-host, the Utah Rural Development Council, is housed at the Southern Utah University, is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life in rural Utah.

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Download Senator Bennett's PowerPoint presentation on the Healthy American's Act