(INDIANAPOLIS) – NFIB is proud to announce that a great friend of small business, Speaker Brian Bosma, is the latest recipient of the Guardian of Small Business award. The award is reserved for lawmakers who vote consistently with small business on key issues from small business owners.
“Speaker Bosma is a true champion of small business. A small business owner himself, he understands the struggles and hurdles small business owners face every day,” said Quandt. “NFIB members appreciate his commitment to listening and acting on their behalf. We will miss his enthusiasm and work ethic at the capitol next year.”
Last month, Speaker Bosma announced his retirement. He is Indiana’s longest-serving House Speaker, holding the reins of the chamber since 2011. He also served as speaker from 2004-2006. Bosma was first elected in 1986. When he’s not at the capitol, Bosma is a small business owner. A partner at Kroger, Gardis & Regas, a law firm in Indianapolis, Bosma has 42 employees.
Before his award, Speaker Bosma thanked NFIB members for their advocacy. As part of Small Business Day, about 30 members visited the capitol to share their concerns with lawmakers. Their two biggest concerns are finding qualified workers and the high cost of health care. Bosma sympathized with them, saying the fact that Indiana has one of the highest health care costs in the country is not only holding small business owners back but hurting Indiana’s economy. Add in the fact that Indiana’s population is stagnant and Bosma told the gathered small business owners that it’s even more critical they voice their concerns.
Small business owners create jobs and keep Indiana’s economy running. There are about 12,000 NFIB members in Indiana and 99.4% of Indiana businesses are small. Small business owners created nearly 35,000 new jobs in 2019 and employ 1.2 million people in Indiana. The average gross sales per NFIB member small businesses in Indiana is $500,000. The average number of employees per NFIB member business is ten. You can read more about NFIB’s 2020 legislative priorities here.
