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SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler visited Barrett-Jackson’s new facility Thursday to highlight small business owners and their contributions to the economy.
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Loeffler met with Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky and Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson. They toured the Scottsdale-based auctioneer’s facility and discussed the administration’s economic policies.
“When you look at a small business like this, and you look at the small businesses it spawns around it, technicians, or restoration or automotive dealers that rely on their services, what we see is one small business supports another small business and we know that large businesses rely on small businesses,” Loeffler said.
She emphasized the importance of small businesses to the nation’s economy and communities, while commending Jackson for his impact.
“These small businesses are absolutely critical to not just our economic well-being as a nation, but really they create the culture and the community that helps people thrive to get their experience and really to prosper and I commend you on your entrepreneurial pursuits that have really elevated the automotive industry,” Loeffler said.
Federal labor law defines a small business as having fewer than 500 full-time employees. Barrett-Jackson meets that threshold with 120 employees, but it’s a nationally recognized, large-scale operation.
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According to the , Barrett-Jackson is one of more than 700,000 small businesses in Arizona that employ nearly half of Arizona’s workers.
Mayor Borowsky also spoke, applauding Jackson for his small-business success.
“This is a hometown success story that is iconic in Scottsdale and known worldwide. What you do, Craig, for the city of Scottsdale in terms of economic development and tourism and the businesses that you’ve built around your company is incredible,” Borowsky said.
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