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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2022 NSBA Names Niesha Wolfe a Finalist for Advocate of the Year Award Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville Tennessee was recognized as a finalist for the National Small Business Association’s 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. The honor was given in conjunction with NSBA’s annual event, the Washington Presentation, and recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “Niesha Wolfe has been an outspoken advocate for small businesses for years. Her work throughout the pandemic in particular is to be commended – her efforts to help keep restaurants and other businesses open in the face of unprecedented hardship helped countless small businesses across Tennessee open,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Niesha’s vision and dedication to helping other small businesses thrive is an asset to us all.” Niesha Wolfe runs The Gingham Café, a beloved local eatery and community gathering place, where she spent hours educating policymakers on what small businesses and restaurants truly needed during the pandemic. She founded the Clarksville Independent Restaurant Owner’s Association in 2018 and was the first woman to chair the Clarksville-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Niesha dedication has led to countless accolades, including the Clarksville’s Athena Award and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Award. “Niesha Wolfe is an outspoken advocate on small-business issues, cultivating important relationships with policymakers in Tennessee and Washington, D.C., and I am honored to give her this award,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “Her tenacity and dedication has been instrumental in helping small businesses survive these past 3 years.” In addition to honoring Wolfe, NSBA also recognized ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts as the overall award winner and finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; and Mark Ware of Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2022 NSBA Names Kelly Willenberg NSBA’s Rising Star for Advocacy Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Kelly Willenberg of Kelly Willenberg, LLC in Greenville, South Carolina was given NSBA’s Rising Star for Advocacy Award. The honor was given in conjunction with NSBA’s Advocate of the Year Awards at its annual event, the Washington Presentation, and recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “I am honored to recognize Kelly Willenberg for her strength and persistence as NSBA’s inaugural Rising Star Award recipient,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Kelly is a passionate and accomplished advocate on the local and state levels, and I anticipate ongoing success and growth as she continues her advocacy efforts.” Willenberg has built a business around her dedication to helping people through providing healthcare compliance services to clients nationwide. Willenberg serves on the South Carolina Small Business Regulatory Review Committee and the South Carolina Nurses Association Board. After the tragic loss of her husband to a distracted driver, Willenberg has spearheaded efforts to champion a hands-free bill to eliminate distracted driving and create safer streets throughout South Carolina. As a Palmetto Cycling Coalition Board member, Willenberg has helped in successfully advocating for the adoption of SCDOT’s Departmental Directive for Complete Streets. “Kelly is the embodiment of entrepreneurship. She is passionate, thoughtful and harnessed a deep tragedy to push forward and make improvements in her community to prevent others from sharing a similar loss,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “Kelly’s selflessness and persistence makes her a perfect recipient of our first ever Rising Star Award.” In addition to honoring Willenberg, NSBA also recognized ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts as the overall award winner and finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; Mark Ware of Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2022 NSBA Names Jill Castilla a Finalist for Advocate of the Year Award Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Jill Castilla, President, CEO and Vice Chairman of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma was recognized as a finalist for the National Small Business Association’s 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. The honor was given in conjunction with NSBA’s annual event, the Washington Presentation, and recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “Jill Castilla created a critical synergy between her business and advocacy work at a time when small business needed it most,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Jill’s innovative approach to ensuring small businesses hard-hit by the pandemic had the support and capital they needed is admirable and a stellar example of why community bankers are so vitally important to America’s small businesses.” Castilla’s small business advocacy shone during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which she partnered with celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban to create a 90-day overdraft program for all small business clients with Citizens Bank. Castilla’s idea was then implemented by over 400 other bank branches nationwide. She has a strong working relationship with the Oklahoma congressional delegation, and has pursued meaningful action on PPP loan forgiveness, loan maximum reinstatement for SBA’s EIDL program and the elimination of lending minimums for the Main Street Lending program. “Jill’s expert knowledge of small-business lending has been a tremendous asset not only to businesses in Oklahoma, but across the country,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “Her ingenuity and persistence are admirable.” In addition to honoring Castilla, NSBA also recognized ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts as the overall award winner and finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Mark Ware of Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2022 NSBA Names Mark Ware a Finalist for Advocate of the Year Award Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Mark Ware, of Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, Michigan was recognized as a finalist for the National Small Business Association’s 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. The honor recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “Mark Ware has a passion for small business and helping people. Not only did he usher his resort through the pandemic—something many in his industry were unable to do—he increased his advocacy efforts and worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for other small businesses,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Mark has utilized his business to spread awareness of the challenges facing small businesses in his industry and has taken advantage of every opportunity to educate lawmakers and candidates on small business.” Ware’s business acumen allowed Mission Point Resort to experience revenue and employment growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, bolstering Mackinac’s local economy. An active member of NSBA affiliate the Small Business Association of Michigan, Ware has been an advocate for small business staffing issues in rural communities and is also working with federal lawmakers on streamlining the H2B visa process. “Mark has successfully blended his business and his advocacy work—and it’s proved to be of great benefit to all small businesses,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “His dedication to small-business advocacy at every turn makes him an outstanding advocate.” In addition to honoring Ware, NSBA also recognized ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts as the overall award winner and finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2022 NSBA Names Molly Bakewell Chamberlin a Finalist for Advocate of the Year Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Maureen “Molly” Bakewell Chamberlin, President of the WBE-certified Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York, was recognized as a finalist for the National Small Business Association (NSBA) 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. The honor was given in conjunction with NSBA’s annual event, the Washington Presentation, and recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “Molly Bakewell Chamberlin has a keen understanding of how to have her voice heard—and she uses her voice to increase and expand opportunities for America’s small businesses,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Molly is incredibly involved in her community and industry and has been an outspoken advocate for small businesses in New York State, as well as across the United States and beyond.” Ms. Bakewell Chamberlin’s experience, as both a small business owner and as a worldwide strategic marketing, public relations, and business development consultant, uniquely positions her as an extremely effective voice for small business. She has been a trusted advocate for small businesses, and especially in New York, Ohio, Washington State, and Wisconsin, where her firm’s core U.S. clients are based. Her grassroots advocacy work has focused on expedited small business post-COVID economic recovery, loan forgiveness and grant funding, SBIR reauthorization, intellectual property protections, workforce development, diversity & inclusion, the CHIPS and Science Act, and mentorship program funding. “It is advocates like Molly Bakewell Chamberlin who truly make a difference in our communities and businesses,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “Her commitment to small business, extensive pro-bono work, and bipartisanship is not only admirable, it is also highly effective.” In addition to honoring Ms. Bakewell Chamberlin, NSBA also recognized: ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; Mark Ware of Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Kelly Willenberg, LLC in Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 14, 2022 NSBA Names ML Mackey 2022 Small Business Advocate of the Year Award Washington, D.C. — Earlier today, ML Mackey, CEO Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts was named the National Small Business Association’s 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year. The honor was given in conjunction with NSBA’s annual event, the Washington Presentation, and recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community. “ML Mackey is one of the most dedicated, passionate advocates for small business I’ve ever known. Her commitment to small-business issues and focus on bipartisanship has been a tremendous asset to NSBA and has resulted in tangible and widespread improvements for all small businesses,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “I’m honored to recognize her with this award for a lifetime of championing entrepreneurship.” Mackey co-founded Beacon Interactive in 1994 and along with her partner has grown the business to be a valued non-traditional defense contractor leveraging commercial sector expertise to address critical national security needs. Focused on the transformative effects of digitizing operations, Beacon’s products drive efficiency and visibility ensuring safe, secure and sustainable outcomes. She has been active with NSBA for two decades, is on the Board of the National Defense Industrial Association and has led the charge on a variety of issues on Capitol Hill, including SBIR and NDAA reauthorization, as well as improved access to capital for small businesses. “ML is the example of advocacy we all seek to emulate. She is tireless, passionate, pragmatic, inclusive and never shies away from the hard questions,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “She is the model of a small-business advocate and a fitting leader for this year’s impressive group of small-business award winners.” In addition to honoring Mackey, NSBA also recognized finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; Mark Ware of Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star. Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate. Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz ###

COVID tested our country in countless ways. However, in spite of some shortcomings of the efforts to support those struggling – especially small businesses, and especially minority-owned small businesses – takeaways from these mistakes are laying a strong foundation for the future: According to a recent report by Bloomberg, featured additionally in the Coleman Report, 2021 Paycheck Protection Program funds “saved smaller, more vulnerable small businesses.” In the fog of the economy’s war against COVID, the U.S. enrolled a number of large commercial banks to distribute PPP loans. This was reportedly done “in order to deploy funds as fast as possible,” and proved to be efficiently functional; however, as quickly as banks were able to work by their pre-existing relationships shared with businesses across the country, efficiency ultimately fell short of providing even impacts. Working quickly, these big banks and their pre-existing relationships caused some skewed distribution of the PPP loans, with “many smaller businesses shut out of the first tranche of loans in April 2020.” Attempting to reconcile this front-loaded depletion of the first round of funds within the first two weeks of the PPP, following some rule changes on the federal level, “dozens of new lenders joined PPP” distribution efforts, including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and online fintech lenders. “As a result, large commercial banks originated fewer PPP loans,” and the new lenders significantly increased PPP distributions to small businesses. Notable shifts by the increased demographics of lenders include a nine percent increase of PPP loans to small businesses from 2020 to 2021, as well as a 77 percent increase of PPP loans to self-employed individuals over the same period. Even with the smallest average loan size of $17,000, beauty salons reportedly accrued the most additional access to loans by shifts of the variety of lenders of PPP funds, followed by taxi services, beef cattle ranching and farming, full-service restaurants, offices of lawyers, and religious organizations, respectively. NSBA stands by common sense safeguards to protect small businesses on all fronts, particularly for federal programs designed to support our community. Connect with NSBA to share your Small Business Story, join our fight for a strong small business community, and read the full report here.

NSBA urges the Senate and the SBA Administrator to swiftly fill all remaining vacant political appointments.

The IRS should focus their efforts and research to better identify noncompliant taxpayers.