Hundreds of business leaders tell congress to raise the minimum wage

Washington, D.C., January 19, 2007 – Business owners and executives across the nation are telling Congress that a $5.15 minimum wage hurts business, workers and the economy.  The House passed a clean bill to raise the minimum wage.  Now, it's the Senate's turn.

Speaking today at a Senate building news conference, Lew Prince, co-owner of Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis, Mo., says, "A minimum wage increase makes straightforward economic sense. It means more money in the hands of people who are going to spend it."

"As a business owner, I know that keeping workers is easier and cheaper than finding and training new workers," Mr. Prince says.  "And the longer an employee stays with you, the more they know about your business and the higher their productivity."

Mr. Prince is one of hundreds of businesspeople who have signed the "Business Owners and Executives for a Higher Minimum Wage" statement released today.  Signatories come from a wide mix of businesses --  from apparel, books and restaurants to farming, construction and venture capitalism -- and organizations such as Small Business Majority, New Voice of Business, Social Venture Network and the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Signer Kirsten Poole, co-owner of Kirsten's Cafe and Dish Caterers in Silver Spring, Md., says, "Trying to save money by shortchanging my employees would be like skimping on ingredients.  I'd lose more than I saved because of declining quality, service, reputation and customer base.  You can't build a healthy business or a healthy economy on a miserly minimum wage."

Contrary to what critics routinely predict, the business leaders' statement says, "States that have raised their minimum wages above the inadequate $5.15 federal level have had better employment and small business trends than the other states."

"We're overdue for a minimum wage increase," says Shalon Hastings, owner of Taco del Sol in Helena, Montana.  "It's a sign of respect for our employees and the work they do for us as business owners."

After a decade at $5.15 an hour, the statement says, "Minimum wage workers have less buying power than minimum wage workers had half a century ago. We cannot build a strong 21st century economy on a 1950s' wage floor."

"Congress should know the facts are very clear versus the misinformation that's been spread over the years," says Adnan Durrani, president of Condor Ventures in Stamford, CT and venture partner in Blue Chip Venture Capital.  "It is a sound business decision to increase the minimum wage.  It increases sales.  It increases employment.  I have found that without exception in the successful ventures we've backed, providing sustainable living wages yielded direct increases in productivity, job satisfaction and brand loyalty from customers, all contributing to higher returns for investors and employers."

The "Business Owners and Executives for a Higher Minimum Wage" statement appears below, along with signatories to date.  Sign-On is continuing at http://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/ .

Business Owners and Executives for a Higher Minimum Wage is a project of Business for Shared Prosperity in partnership with the Let Justice Roll, www.letjusticeroll.org , an initiative of the National Council of Churches USA www.councilofchurches.org .  Let Justice Roll is a campaign of more than 80 religious and community organizations seeking to raise the minimum wage and working for a living wage for all Americans.  Business for Shared Prosperity is a new network, in formation, of forward-thinking business owners, executives and investors committed to building enduring economic progress on a strong foundation of opportunity, equity and innovation.

TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS WITH BUSINESSPEOPLE around the country, contact: Peter Bermudes at bermudes@verizon.net or by phone at 781-704-4039.

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BUSINESS OWNERS AND EXECUTIVES FOR A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE

We, the undersigned business owners and executives, support an increase in the minimum wage to benefit workers, business and our economy. We know that a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is simply not enough for workers to afford necessities for themselves and their families. We know that a fair wage floor is essential to healthy businesses and communities, and enduring economic growth.

We expect an increased minimum wage to provide a boost to local economies. Businesses and communities will benefit as low-wage workers spend their much-needed pay raises at businesses in the neighborhoods where they live and work.

Higher wages benefit business by increasing consumer purchasing power, reducing costly employee turnover, raising productivity, and improving product quality, customer satisfaction and company reputation. In a recent National Consumers League survey, for example, 76 percent of American consumers said "how well a company treats/pays employees influences what they buy."

States that have raised their minimum wages above the inadequate $5.15 federal level have had better employment and small business trends than the other states. Studies by the Fiscal Policy Institute and others show that in states with minimum wages above $5.15, the number of small businesses and the number of small business employees grew more than the other states -- contrary to what critics predicted. Likewise, after the last federal minimum wage increases in 1996 and 1997, the nation experienced lower unemployment, low inflation, robust growth and declining poverty rates.

At $5.15 an hour, today's minimum wage workers have less buying power than minimum wage workers had half a century ago. We cannot build a strong 21st century economy on a 1950s' wage floor. We cannot build a strong 21st century economy when more and more hardworking Americans struggle to make ends meet.

A fair minimum wage shows we value both work and responsible businesses. A fair minimum wage is a sound investment in the future of our communities and our nation.

SAMPLE SIGNATORIES

-- John Arensmeyer, CEO, Small Business Majority
-- Margot Dorfman, CEO, US Women's Chamber of Commerce
-- Eileen Fisher, chief creative officer, apparel company Eileen Fisher
-- Alex Von Bidder, president, The Four Seasons Restaurant, NY
-- Marilyn Megenity, owner, Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO
-- Adnan Durrani, president of Condor Ventures and venture partner, Blue Chip Venture Capital, Stamford, CT
-- Bill Foster, cofounder, Electronic Theatre Controls, Washington, DC
-- Lew Prince, co-owner, Vintage Vinyl, St. Louis, MO
-- Doug Hammond, president, Relief Resources, Hatfield, MA & co-founder, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
-- Jeff Milchen, co-founder, American Independent Business Alliance
-- Elliot Hoffman, CEO, New Voice of Business
-- Deborah Nelson, executive director, Social Venture Network
-- Shalon Hastings, owner, Taco del Sol, Helena, MT
-- Robert Glassman, chair, Wainwright Bank & Trust Co, Boston, MA
-- Bernard Rapoport, chairman emeritus, American Income Life Insurance Company, Waco, TX
-- James Wellehan, president, Lamey-Wellehan Shoes, Auburn, ME
-- Arnold Hiatt, former CEO, Stride Rite
-- Kirsten Poole, co-owner, Kirsten's Cafe and Dish Caterers, Silver Spring, MD
-- Peter Strugatz, co-CEO, IceStone, Brooklyn, NY
-- Leonard Gertler, president, All American Home Center, Downey, CA
-- Jane and Donald Gilbert, owners, Gilbert Farm, Leland, NC
-- Paul Lightfoot, CEO, AL Systems Inc, Rockaway, NJ
-- John Russell, president, Russell Development Co., Portland, OR
-- Ron Siegman, owner, Natural Lawn of America, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Charles Henderson, president, Chuck Roast Equipment, Conway, NH

SIGNATORIES LIST (IN FORMATION) BY STATE

-- Suzanne Ball, Owner, Dixie Rod & Custom, Gulf Shores, AL
-- Debra Alich, Executive Director, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Little Rock, AR
-- Norman Bennett, co-owner, Bennett Brothers Stone Co., Inc., Hot Springs,, AR
-- Bea Chessman, President, RMC of America, Pine Bluff, AR
-- Rebecca Clark, Owner, Creative Convenience, Hot Springs, AR
-- Hope Coulter, Executive Director, Arkansas Hunger Coalition, Little Rock, AR
-- Kathy Webb, Owner, Lilly's Dim Sum, Then Sum, Little Rock, AR
-- Margarito Cordero, President, Durango Drywall, Phoenix, AZ
-- Rick Keefe, President, R-Galaxy, Tucson, AZ
-- Trudy Mills, Co-Owner, Antigone Books, Tucson, AZ
-- Richard Shapiro, Accountant, Richard Shapiro LLC Accounting Firm, Scottsdale, AZ
-- Michael Alexander, CEO, Conscious Consulting, Inc, Los Angeles, CA
-- Nick Allen, Founder & CEO, Donordigital, San Francisco, CA
-- John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO, Small Business Majority, Sausalito, CA
-- Peter Barnes, Co-Founder & Former CEO, Working Assets, Point Reyes, CA
-- Lindy Beatie, Executive Director, United Way of Nevada County, Grass Valley, CA
-- Gwen W. Brewer, Professor Emeritus, California State University, Northridge, Westlake Village, CA
-- Anirvan Chatterjee, CEO, BookFinder.com, Berkeley, CA
-- Bill Denham, Owner, Urban Harvest Design and Construction, Berkeley, CA
-- Monica Flores, VP Operations, 10K Group LLC, Oakland, CA
-- Jessica Gary, CEO, 2 To Xango, Oakland, CA
-- David Gast, Principal/Owner, David S. Gast & Associates, San Francisco, CA
-- Leonard Gertler, President, All American Home Center, Downey, CA
-- Rachel Goldberg, Valencia, CA
-- Barry Hermanson, Former Owner, Hermanson's Employment Services, San Francisco, CA
-- Elliot Hoffman, CEO/Co-Founder, New Voice of Business, San Francisco, CA
-- Joan M. Joan Hotchkis, Actor/Producer, Tearsheets, Inc., Santa Monica, CA
-- Michael Kieschnick, President, Working Assets, Inc., San Francisco, CA
-- Erin Kilmer Neel, Executive Director, Oakland Unwrapped!, Oakland, CA
-- Todd Koons, President, Epic Roots, Inc., Sausalito, CA
-- Cheri Langlois, Owner, Mendocino, CA
-- Eric Leenson, President and CEO, Progressive Asset Management, Oakland, CA
-- Robert Loucks, Assistant Manager, Solar Depot, Inc., Corona, CA
-- Amy Lyman, Chair, Board of Directors, Great Place to Work Institute, Inc., San Francisco, CA
-- Idelisse Malave, Executive Director, Tides Foundation, San Francisco, CA
-- Brent D. Rose, Attorney, Jeffery Corrigan & Shaw, Fontana, CA
-- Richard Schaper, President, WealthSteward Consulting, Mill Valley, CA
-- Robert Seltzer, Owner/President, Robert S. Seltzer, C.P.A./P.F.S., Beverly Hills, CA
-- Daniel Steele, President, North Coast Enterprise, Arcata, CA
-- Mal Warwick, Founder & Chairman, Mal Warwick Associates, Berkeley, CA
-- Robert (Andy) Bardwell, Owner, Bardwell Consulting, Denver, CO
-- Lalania Carrillo, Co-Owner, Karma Cafe, Denver, CO
-- Linda Franklin, Owner, Sew Far Sew Good Tailors, Littleton, CO
-- Ron Gamino, Owner, Gamino Printing Company, Denver, CO
-- Heather Jernberg, Partner, Boreas Group LLC, Denver, CO
-- David Killmer, Attorney At Law, Killmer, Lane and Newman LLP, Denver, CO
-- David Lichtenstein, Attorney At Law, David Lichtenstein Law Office, Denver, CO
-- Tim Marquez, Owner, The Laughing Bean, Denver, CO
-- Thomas Marquez, Pyramid Print and Graphics, Denver, CO
-- Marilyn Megenity, Owner, Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO
-- Faatma Mehrmanesh, Co-Owner, Karma Cafe, Denver, CO
-- Doug Naiman, Owner, Aviano Coffee, CO
-- Dylan Norton, Co-Owner, Durango Doughworks, Durango, CO
-- Hugh Pixler, Owner, Law Offices of Hugh Pixler LLC, Denver, CO
-- Jerry Powell, Owner, Color Graphix, Denver, CO
-- Barry Roseman, Attorney At Law, Roseman and Kazmierski LLC, Denver, CO
-- Jenni Sonnen, Co-Owner, Tesoros LTD, Indian Hills, CO
-- Alan Treibitz, CEO, Z-Axis Corporation, Greenwood Village, CO
-- Cherylin Vandergrist, Owner, Cherylin Vandergrist LLC, Denver, CO
-- William Collins, Director, Minuteman Media, Norwalk, CT
-- Adnan Durrani, President, Condor Ventures Inc, Venture Partner, Blue Chip Venture Capital, Stamford, CT
-- Business and Professional Women/USA, Washington, DC
-- Margot Dorfman, CEO, US Women's Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
-- G. William (Bill) Foster, Co-founder & former CEO, Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc., Washington, DC
-- Robert Hanrott, CEO, ByD Press, Washington, DC
-- Dianne Saenz, Washington, DC
-- Alison Houck, Manager, McBride Shopa & Company, Rehoboth Beach, DE
-- John Perkins, Chairman, Dream Change, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
-- Rose Marie Ray, Owner/Innkeeper (retired), Pamian, Inc./Mansion House B&B, Seminole, FL
-- Tirza Hollenhorst, President, ifPeople, Atlanta, GA
-- Jean Bunz, President, Clinical Massage and Reflexology, Gilmore City, IA
-- Gerry Queener, Owner, Calochortus Creations, Troy, ID
-- Bob Wagenknecht, Rancher (retired), Leadore, ID
-- David Borris, Owner, Hel's Kitchen Catering, Northbrook, IL
-- Dave Clarkin, President, Clarkin, Inc., Chicago, IL
-- Katy Hogan, Co-Owner, The Heartland Cafe, Chicago, IL
-- Michael James, Co-Owner, The Heartland Cafe, Chicago, IL
-- Steve Jones Blessman, Chicago, IL
-- Kevin Lampe, Executive Vice President, Kurth Lampe, Chicago, IL
-- Karla Lucas, Owner, Lucas Computer Repair, Hoxie, KS
-- Robert Nesmith, Co-owner, Cunningham Golf Car Co., Inc., Louisville, KY
-- Mary O'Bryan, President, q Business Group, Louisville, KY
-- Mary O'Bryan, Owner, Health Care Promotions, llc, Louisville, KY
-- Kenneth Bane, owner, Lannmark Properties, Salem, MA
-- Judy Beals, Salem, MA
-- Gary Best, President, Best Enterprises, Sharon, MA
-- Andrew Cole, Owner, Andy Cole Builders, Wendell, MA
-- Chuck Collins, Director, Business for Shared Prosperity, Boston, MA
-- Stephen Cowell, CEO, Conservation Services Group, Westborough, MA
-- Ann Deluty, Owner, Livable Landscapes, Stow, MA
-- Bill Densmore, Vice President, Norton Company, Worcester, MA
-- Rink Dickinson, President, Equal Exchange, West Bridgewater, MA
-- Robert Glassman, Chairman, Wainwright Bank & Trust Company, Boston, MA
-- Julie Goodridge, President, NorthStar Asset Management, Inc., Boston, MA
-- Steven Grossman, President, Grossman Marketing Group, Somerville, MA
-- Denise Guerin, Principal, Law Office of Denise M. Guerin, P.C., Cambridge, MA
-- Laury Hammel, President, The Longfellow Clubs, Wayland, MA
-- Doug Hammond, President, Relief Resources, Co-Founder, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Hatfield, MA
-- Arnold Hiatt, Chairman, The Stride Rite Foundation, Boston, MA
-- Laurence Howard, owner, Grace Sales, Marblehead, MA
-- Prakash Laufer, Former CEO and Owner, Motherwear Inc, Florence, MA
-- Kathy LeMay, President & CEO, Raising Change, LLC, Northampton, MA
-- Susan Moore, President, Moore Financial Advisors, Ltd., Watertown, MA
-- Clare Ritchie, Salem, MA
-- Daniel Romeo, Retired, Huntington, MA
-- Carlyn Saltman, President, Your Story Matters, Turners Falls, MA
-- Sybil Schlesinger, Natick, MA, Florence Sender, CEO, FoodLogic, LLC, Newton, MA
-- Alan Solomont, Chairman/CEO, SolomontBailis Ventures LLC, Netwon, MA
-- Bradley Steele, President, Energy Federation, Inc., Westborough, MA
-- Benneville Strohecker, Founder,, Harbor Sweets, Inc, Marblehead, MA
-- Phil Wells, dr, Philip Wells DMD, Somerville, MA
-- David Buscher, Proprietor, bluehouse, Baltimore, MD
-- Marcia Ormsby MD, Owner, Maria V. Ormsby, MD PC, Annapolis, MD
-- Kirsten Poole, Owner, Kirsten's Cafe and Dish Caterers, Silver Spring, MD
-- Marjorie Phyfe, President, Peaks Island Counseling Services, Peaks Island, ME
-- Jim Wellehan, President, Lamey Wellehan Shoes, Auburn, ME
-- Antoinette Dwan, Owner, Antoinette's Antiques, St. Joseph, MI
-- Cynthia Kamish, Administration, University of Michigan Hospital & Health Center, Canton, MI
-- Michael Kitchen, Managing Partner, Waking Up, Warren, MI
-- Carmen Barker Lemay, CEO, Integrative Growth, Minneapolis, MN
-- Nancy Klepetka, Dr., Integrated Health Center, Alexandria, MN
-- Michael Corgiat, President, Keystone Financial Services LLC, St. Louis, MO
-- Maureen (Mo) Costello, Owner, Mokabes Coffeehouse, St. Louis, MO
-- Virgil Hill, President, WaterSpring Advisors LLC, Springfield, MO
-- Lew Prince, CEO, Vintage Vinyl Inc., St. Louis, MO
-- Aimee Sanita, Co-Owner, Circle Tax and Accounting, Kansas City, MO
-- John Scott, Owner, John Scott Fitness, Kansas City, MO
-- David Scott, Co-Owner, Circle Tax and Accounting, Kansas City, MO
-- Linda Spitzer, President, Information Management Solutions, Inc., St. Louis, MO
-- Dayna Baumeister, Keystone, Biomimicry Guild LLC, Helena, MT
-- Shalon Hastings, Owner, Taco del Sol, Helena, MT
-- Jell Milchen, Co-Founder, American Independent Business Alliance, Bozeman, MT
-- Brian Smith, Managing Partner, Blackfoot River Brewing Company LLC, Helena, MT
-- Jane & Donald Gilbert, Owners, Gilbert Farm, Leland, NC
-- David Kirkpatrick, Managing Director, SJF Ventures, Durham, NC
-- John Parker, Director, Good Work, Inc., Durham, NC
-- Lynice R. Williams, Executive Director, North Carolina Fair Share,Raleigh, NC
-- Jerod Hawk, Owner, Amega Computers, Bismark, ND
-- Lois Rambough, Owner, Owl Bookstore, Bismark, ND
-- Daryl Wetzel, Owner, DW Meats, Bismark, ND
-- Don Reeves, Owner & Policy Consultant, Farm, Central City, NE
-- Charles Henderson, President, Chuck Roast Equipment Inc, Conway, NH
-- Roslyn Eichenbaum, Teacher,Holmdel, NJ
-- Smitha Katragadda, technical assistance coordinator, Manavi, New Brunswick, NJ
-- Paul Lightfoot, President & CEO, AL Systems, Inc, Rockaway, NJ
-- Stephen Abrams, cpa, Xchneider and Abrams PC, New York, NY
-- Rosalyn Baxandall, Distinguished Teaching Professor American Studies, SUNY College, New York, NY
-- Eileen Fisher, Chief Creative Officer, Eileen Fisher, Inc, Irvington, NY
-- Melissa Gluck, Attorney, Legal Aid Society, New York, NY
-- Ajax Greene, Co-founder, On Belay Business Advisors, New Paltz, NY
-- Sireesha Katragadda, Principal, Katchenkoo, New York, NY
-- Elizabeth Letzler MD, Baldwin, NY
-- Alexandra Marchosky, Principle, The Next Level: Coaching for Excellence, LLC, New York, NY
-- Malka Maxwell, CEO, Malka Maxwell/SQR, New York, NY
-- Harry Phillips, Managing Director, Winged Keel Group, New York, NY
-- Darius Alexander Ross, mang partner, d.alexander ross real estate capital partners interest LLC, NYC, NY
-- Martin Rothenberg, Owner & President, Glottal Enterprises, Syracuse, NY
-- Mike Sharpe, president, M.E.Sharpe, Publisher, Armonk, NY
-- Peter Strugatz, Co-Ceo, IceStone LLC, Brooklyn, NY
-- Alex von Bidder, President, The Four Seasons Restaurant, New York, NY
-- Jody Weiss, Founder / CEO, PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics, New York, NY
-- Billy Wimsatt, Executive Director, The League of Young Voters, Brooklyn, NY
-- Anthony Tsang Yee, President, Eng & Yee Designs, Inc, Manhattan, NY
-- Karen Devereaux, GL Suspense Supervisor, JPMChase, Columbus, OH
-- Douglas Erickson, President, ENTARCO USA Inc., Columbus, OH
-- Kathleen Goggin, Owner, Massage Connection, LLC, Cleveland, OH
-- Nina Masseria, Broker, Carriage Trade Realty, Inc., Columbus, OH
-- Warner Mendenhall, Owner, The Law Offices of Warner Mendenhall, Akron, OH
-- Judi Mendriski, Ms, Ohio Disability Action Coalition, Cincinnati, OH
-- Joe Mosyjowski, Owner, Mosyjowski & Associates Engineers, Hartville, OH
-- Susan Nelson, Principal, Improvement Works LLC, Cleveland, OH
-- Diana Reller, President, RealEdge Resources, LLC, Grove City, OH
-- Bishop Steven Scott, CEO, Dr. J.W. Jones Center for Training and Inner-City Development, Cincinatti, OH
-- John Boswell Sr., President/Founder, J.B. Resource Mgt. Inc., Oklahoma City, OK
-- Jeff Brown, President, Homes with a Heartbeat Inc, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Florence Brown-Lanlois, President, Mach II Property Investments, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Warren Eads, Owner, Dometec Services LLC, Mustang, OK
-- Mark Hayes, President, Hayes & Associates, Inc, Edmond, OK
-- Suellen & Keith Hazelton, Owners, SueChef Fine Kitchenware, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Bill Hellams, Owner, Video Productions, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Gary Hill, President, Gary C. Hill, M.D., Inc, Edmond, OK
-- Eunyoung Kim, President, Synapse International, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Terry Masters, Psychotherapist, St. Anthony Hospital/Private Practice, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Glenn Shrader Jr., Owner, Glenn J. Shrader, Jr. Attorney at Law, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Ron Siegman, Owner, Natural Lawn of America, Oklahoma City, OK
-- Gary Theilen, Owner, Theilen Farms & Cattle, Enid, OK
-- Steve Hanrahan, Owner, Mirador Community Store, Portland, OR
-- Roanna Rosewood, Owner/Operator, Pangea Grills & Wraps Inc., Ashland, OR
-- John W. Russell, President, Russell Development Co., Portland, OR
-- John Statler, Owner, Computer Services Northwest, Medford, OR
-- Susan Stoltenberg, Executive director, Portland Impact, Inc., Portland, OR
-- Jody Wiser, Former Owner, RoadRunner Ranch, Inc., Portland, OR
-- Phyllis Combs, Owner, Farm Fortune Bed & Breakfast, New Cumberland, PA
-- C. Dale Hendricks, President, North Creek Nurseries, Inc, Landenberg, PA
-- Neal Jain, N/A, Self, Philadelphia, PA
-- Danielle Liddic, New Choices/New Options Project Facilitator, West Branch Technology Center, Lock Haven, PA
-- Susan Joan Mauriello, Consultant, The MBA Exchange, Villanova, PA
-- Teresa Miller, Attorney, Teresa A. Miller Law Offices, Media, PA
-- Tom Thomas, President, Thomas Travel Service, Doylestown, PA
-- Judy Wicks, Owner, White Dog Cafe; Co-Chair, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
-- Gwendolyn Young-El, Program Manager, Mental Health Association of South Eastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
-- Faye Gadsden, President & CEO, FLG Consulting LLC, Cumberland, RI
-- Mary Keller, owner/partner, Keller Law Office, huron, SD
-- Andrea Abernathy, Acting President, East Dison Association-SMA, Memphis, TN
-- Nabil Bayakly, Dr., Muslims in Memphis, Memphis, TN
-- Bert Bornblum, Owner (retired), Bert's and Greg's clothing stores, Memphis, TN
-- Maryanna Clarke, Founding Artistic Director, Tennessee Women's Theater Project, Nashville, TN
-- James Maglio, Jr., Project Purchasing Manager, Lurgi, Inc., Memphis, TN
-- Gladys McGowan, Treasurer, Census Tract 61 Neighborhood Watch Association, Memphis, TN
-- Carol Risher, Licensed Professional Counselor, Psychological Trauma and Wellness Center, Memphis, TN
-- Bernard Rapoport, Chairman Emeritus, American Income Life Insurance Company, Waco, TX
-- J. McDonald Williams, Founder & Chairman, Foundation for Community Empowerment, Dallas, TX
-- Fess Green, Professor of Business Management, College of Business and Economics, Radford, VA
-- Thomas Wolf, Vice-President, Law Firm, Richmond, VA
-- Nancy Braus, co-owner/book buyer, Everyone's Books, Brattleboro, VT
-- Jeffrey Hollender, President, Seventh Generation, Burlington, VT
-- Richard E. Baldwin, President, Windermere Real Estate/Capitol Hill, Inc., Seattle, WA
-- John Moltz, Manager, Giant Squid Productions, LLC, Tacoma, WA
-- Terrell Ellis, President, Terrell Elllis & Associates, Inc., Charleston, WV
-- Laura Phillips, President, The Phillips Group, Charleston, WV

FOR UPDATED SIGNATORIES LIST CLICK ON http://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/signatories .