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


Washington, D.C. — The National Small Business Association has named Piyush “P.J.” Goel, of Goel Services, Inc. in Washington, D.C., 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. Goel, but also those who came before him such as Mr. Shattuck.”

With a proven track-record of outstanding small-business advocacy, Goel was most recently named the 2007 SBA Washington District Small Business Champion of the Year. He has testified before Congress and has volunteered his time and services to assisting minority small-business groups. Goel has been an ardent supporter of the SBA, and has recommended increased funding for various programs. In addition to his outspoken advocacy, Goel runs a very successful business in construction, demolition, environmental remediation, wastewater field services and IT Sales and federal contracting, and has seen impressive growth over the past four years.

“I have tried to live my life by the John F. Kennedy creed of asking not what my government can do for me, but what I can do for my government,” said Goel. “As leaders in our communities, small-business owners have the power and responsibility to engage in government policies and make the overall system better.”

Goel is one of five national finalists, joining Harold Jackson of Lafayette, Colorado, Anthony R. Jimenez of Vienna, Virginia, Ron Klein of Huntsville, Alabama, and Joseph Melookaran of Overland Park, Kansas. 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.