Susan Ratliff Named Advocate of the Year Finalist

Washington, D.C. — NSBA today honored Susan Ratliff of Phoenix-based Exhibit Experts, Inc. as a finalist for the 2009 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. Ratliff was recognized among four other entrepreneurs during NSBA’s Annual Advocate of the Year Award Luncheon held Tuesday, June 9 at in Washington, D.C.

“Susan Ratliff is the embodiment of the word ‘entrepreneur,’” stated NSBA President Todd McCracken. “Her zeal for helping other small-business owners is not only impressive, it is making a difference every day to entrepreneurs across Arizona.”

Ratliff has been a small-business owner since 1988, during which time she’s taken an active role as small-business cheerleader, supporter, encourager, teacher and promoter. A true believer in the power of entrepreneurship, Ratliff created the first Women Entrepreneurs’ Small Business Boot Camp which just celebrated its fifth anniversary. Ratliff has been involved with NSBA, the Entrepreneurial Mothers Association, the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Chambers of Commerce, the National Speakers Association, NAWBO and the Arizona Small Business Association, to name a few.

Beyond her broad involvement in small-business organizations, Ratliff is a true believer in the power of entrepreneurship. When asked by the warden of a women’s prison in Perryville, Arizona to speak to the inmates, Ratliff’s talk about entrepreneurship turned it into a moving address to women whose lives she touched by giving them positive perspectives on their future.

The criteria used in determining award finalists was a commitment to small business advocacy, a proven history of volunteer activism on behalf of the small-business community, and success and growth as a small-business owner.

Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. A staunchly nonpartisan organization, NSBA reaches more than 150,000 small businesses nationwide and is proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. For more information, please visit www.nsba.biz

Molly Brogan
VP of Public Affairs
National Small Business Association
1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 552-2904 office
(202) 276-2131 cell
(202) 872-8543 fax
mbrogan@nsba.biz