|
RAPAPORT... The National Retail Federation (NRF) created a Small Business Retail Council to organize, recruit and engage Main Street merchants and independent community retailers in grassroots advocacy activities. It is intended that the new council represent and be responsive to the needs, concerns and interests of local shops, and provide the larger association’s small business members a forum to discuss the most pressing public policy issues and priorities that matter to them.
“We are bringing together some of the retail sector’s best small business leaders to build upon their integral role in drafting and shaping public policy,” said NRF's president, Matthew Shay. “Working with our state retail association partners, we hope to amplify the voice of small retailers in advancing the retail community’s agenda. The Small Business Retail Council will enhance and strengthen the partnership between small business owners and NRF and optimize industry engagement on our common goals.” The Small Business Retail Council will be led by two co-chairs who will head a five-to-seven member steering committee to identify priorities, propose strategies and solutions, and participate in the coordination of grassroots advocacy. Membership on the council will be comprised of independent retailers from the U.S. as well as small retailers that currently serve on the NRF's board of directors, including Dave Ratner of Dave’s Soda and Pet City of Agawam, Massachusetts and Beth Aberg of Random Harvest Inc. of Washington, D.C.
|