Mark Startup Joins Small Business Roundtable
May 2, 2007
Victoria – British Columbia’s permanent Small Business Roundtable is gaining one of the retail industry’s strongest voices with the appointment of Mark Startup to its board, Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister responsible for Regulatory Reform, announced today.
VETERAN RETAIL ADVOCATE JOINS SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s permanent Small Business Roundtable is gaining one of the retail industry’s strongest voices with the appointment of Mark Startup to its board, Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister responsible for Regulatory Reform, announced today.
“Over the past quarter century, Mark’s efforts have been instrumental in growing retail into a $50-billion-a-year industry in British Columbia,” said Thorpe. “Given most retailers are small businesses, I’m certain Mark will lend insight to the roundtable that will be of value to thousands of small business owners and operators.”
Startup, who began with Retail BC in 1982 as general manager, helped the organization grow to 3,500 retailers from 200 retailers over the last 25 years. He became president in 1985 and president and CEO in 1995. Startup is a past chair of the Coalition of BC Businesses and serves on the steering committees of the BC Business Summit and the Vancouver Board of Tourism.
“Mark’s willingness to carry on the great work begun by Kevin Evans, as a seasoned representative of the retail industry, is greatly appreciated,” said Linda Larson, Small Business Roundtable vice-chair. “His depth of experience will be a valuable asset to the roundtable team.”
“The Small Business Roundtable represents a real opportunity for small businesses to be heard,” said Startup. “I know many of the people on the roundtable, and I look forward to working with them on behalf of all retailers and small business owners and operators across British Columbia.”
The Small Business Roundtable was established in October 2005, with a mandate to engage in a dialogue with small business to identify key issues and opportunities, and develop recommendations to small business and government on strategies to enhance small business growth and success. The roundtable’s members are small business leaders who represent regions, industries and associations throughout British Columbia.
Evans, the former vice-president, Western Canada, with the Retail Council of Canada, served as vice-chair of the Small Business Roundtable from its inception until recently, when he resigned to become chief operating officer of the British Columbia Industry Training Authority.
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Date Posted: 5/3/2007
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