Contact:
Molly Brogan
202-552-2904
press@nsba.biz

Washington, D.C. — The National Small Business Association has named Joseph Melookaran CPA, founder of JMA Chartered in Overland Park, Kansas, as one of its finalists for the 2008 Small Business Advocate of the Year. The winner will be named as part of NSBA’s Washington Presentation, to be held June 3-4, 2008 at the Capitol Hilton, located at 1001 16th Street NW in Washington, D.C. Adding significance to the award this year, it will, for the first time, be made in honor of the late Lewis Shattuck, the pioneering small-business advocate and long-time president of the Smaller Business Association of New England.

“We always have been mindful that the best advocate for small business is not an association, a lobbyist, or a spokesperson, but the small-business owners themselves—who take time out of their busy schedules to fight on behalf of small business,” stated NSBA President Todd McCracken. “As we focus on the upcoming elections and what that means to the future of small business, it’s important to recognize not only the outstanding small-business advocates like Mr. Melookaran, but also those who came before him such as Mr. Shattuck.”

Melookaran has an impressive record of volunteerism, and was named the SBA 2006 Minority Small Business Champion of the Year. He established JMA Chartered, a premier professional services firm with divisions in public assurance, information technology solutions, and network design and security services. Melookaran has worked with local business assistance programs in the areas of micro-loan, business incubator, and mentoring for business growth. He has held leadership positions in numerous local, regional, state and national associations. He also served as lead author of a White House report on entrepreneurship to President George W. Bush entitled, Enhancing Economic Opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in 2007.

“I have structured my business in such a way that I can spend at least 30 percent of my time giving back to help other businesses and advocate for small-business friendly policies,” stated Melookaran. “I am living the American dream and strive to enable others to find their path to it—for me, there is nothing more gratifying.”

Melookaran is one of five national finalists, joining P.J. Goel of Washington, DC, Harold Jackson of Lafayette, Colorado, Anthony R. Jimenez of Vienna, Virginia, and Ron Klein of Huntsville, Alabama. The finalists will be honored and award winner announced at the Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Luncheon sponsored by CareerBuilder.com June 3.

Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. Reaching more than 150,000 small businesses, NSBA is proud to be the first national small-business advocacy organization in the United States. To find out more about the importance of the small-business community, please visit NSBA’s Small Business: 70 Million Strong…And Voting campaign at www.nsba.biz/vote.