GARNER – On Friday, Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13) hosted a small business roundtable at the Garner Town Hall with North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and local business leaders. The event brought together key voices to address small business growth – and particularly recovery following Hurricane Helene – focusing on how federal and state resources can bolster North Carolina’s entrepreneurial landscape and ensure economic resilience across local communities.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and as so many rebuild after Hurricane Helene, I’m committed to ensuring that they have the resources needed to help recover, grow, and thrive,” said Congressman Nickel. “Our partnerships at the local, state, and federal level are critical in strengthening North Carolina’s small business community, driving economic growth, and creating a brighter future for entrepreneurs and working families across our state.”
Hurricane Helene took an unprecedented toll on North Carolina’s small business community, depleting the U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster relief fund and creating a critical need for further support. In addition to calling on Congress to reconvene for disaster supplemental funding, Rep. Nickel cosponsored the Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act to increase SBA loan limits, and also introduced the Supporting Diverse Entrepreneurs Act, which expands federal resources for minority-owned businesses.
Participants at the roundtable included Sharon Walker, Senior Small Business Director, Economic Development Partners of NC; Maureen McGuinness, President, Triangle East Chamber of Commerce; and Bella Xu, Vice President, iPearl.
