Anheuser-Busch Briefing Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H St NW, Washington, D.C.
Registration and Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
Blog
July 17, 2012
By: James Cunningham
I enlisted in the Army immediately following high school and served three and a half years with the 82nd Airborne Division, including a 15-month deployment to Iraq as the tip of spear for the 2007 troop surge. After returning from deployment, I wanted to be “normal” and be seen simply as “James.”
Throughout my three years in college, I quickly realized that veterans were not being properly taken care of. No one was stepping up to make the necessary changes. It was apparent that something had to be done and I could no longer wait for someone else to take action.
I try to make the most of every precious day. I do my best to show the average citizen I interact with how veterans are an asset to America and need to be taken care of with the steadfastness that they took care of their country. I may never be seen as “normal,” but I will always be proud of what I have done and the impact I have tried to make. This is what makes me proud to have the honor of working here at Hiring Our Heroes.
July 17, 2012
By: Rich Cooper
It is election season and the public debate over taxes is as sweltering as the July heat waves sweeping the nation. While there are varying opinions on how best to use the U.S tax system to overcome America’s continuing economic woes, there is widespread agreement that rebuilding the economy means fostering business growth and investment and creating jobs. Federal (as well as state and local) taxes affect these priorities, and to understand the potential impact from different approaches, it is important to look beyond campaign speeches to the real-world examples found in countries around the world.
Europe is pursuing austerity to mitigate its debt crisis and major manufacturing locations like China and Japan are using lower tax rates to boost competitiveness. There are important insights that can be found in their experiences, but another country with lessons for America is much closer to home – Canada.
There are many important decisions that go into an effective economic recovery, but past changes to the Canadian tax system can shed light on the current American debate over how best to spur commerce and national profitability.
From Bust to Boom
July 16, 2012
The United States is at a crossroads, with uncertainty in all directions. The paths America chooses today will have far-reaching implications for the country’s future, which is why the debates occurring in board rooms, assembly rooms, dining rooms, and other places across the nation are so important. While opinions are many, there is widespread agreement that fostering small business growth is one national imperative.
Indeed, small companies and startups are the biggest contributors to new employment, innovation, and overall economic success. As part of this, there has been a lot of discussion on the issue of small business access to credit. Loans are a critical part of small businesses growth, but the ongoing debt crisis (in all its forms around the world) has made credit more difficult to secure.
July 13, 2012
By: Michael Hendrix
It’s hot out there. In our nation’s capital, we’ve broken the record for the most consecutive days over 95 degrees. Runways are melting, neckties are being shed, and residents are realizing what life used to be like before electricity and A/C. What better time than now for some ice cream?
One innovative new company happens to agree. Uber, an app-driven car service, has just announced that they are deploying a fleet of ice cream trucks throughout Washington, DC, and other major cities. Feeling a little hot under the collar? No problem. Just open the Uber app on your smart phone, tap the ice cream cone symbol, and you too can have an ice cream truck parked on the curb in front of you in minutes (musical jingle optional).
July 13, 2012
Now here’s a way to boost youth employment: Help them start up.
At the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, or YEA, middle and high school students in certain parts of the country can participate in a nine-month-long afterschool program that attempts to guide them through the process of starting a business — from developing a business plan and pitching investors to obtaining funding and building a website.
“Our mission is to teach students across the country how to make a job, not just take a job,” says Allison Osborn, director of student and community engagement at the Rochester, N.Y.-based charitable organization. “We believe that helping young people learn to identify and cultivate their passions and skills and then instilling them with the confidence that they can do these big things they dream about is the key to the future of our country.”
It would seem others agree. Not only did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce become a national sponsor and partner of the program last year, YEA is being adopted by communities nationwide. At present, there are 47 chapters in 17 states across the country. The organization also recently teamed up with ABC’s Shark Tank as it looks for younger entrepreneurs to appear on the show. Several YEA graduates have already been interviewed by the show’s producers, says Osborn.