Credit Unions Cooperate with Texas Governor in Small Business Summits

EL PASO, Texas – Local entrepreneurs or "wannabes" will have an opportunity to learn more about resources available to start or grow their businesses, including credit union financing, at a Small Business Summit hosted here by Texas Gov. Rick Perry June 15. The day-long summit, the first of a series across the state, will address a variety of common small business concerns. The Governor's office contacted Texas Credit Union League to invite credit unions to participate in the summits, according to Allison Castle, TCUL spokesperson. Arturo Moreno, vice president of business services for Government Employees Credit Union, will lead a session on "Financing Business Growth and Expansion." Moreno hopes participation in the summit not only will help business owners realize credit unions are a viable option for business capital, but also will boost the local economy by investing in the training of local business owners. "The Governor made an appropriate choice in selecting El Paso as the first summit location. Houston and Dallas are home to Fortune 500 companies, but few big businesses are located here. Our local economy is driven by small business, most of which focus on service, manufacturing and transportation," he said. Summit sessions will cover applying for loans; choosing a business structure and filing applications with the state; export opportunities; developing a workforce; payroll tax and tax credits; health savings accounts, employee law, and understanding the state bid process. The program also will feature presentations by the Small Business Administration and the Texas Workforce Commission, a state bid fair and "meet your lender" discussions. A second summit is set for San Antonio July 12.