Business Forward

In this episode, Business Forward hosted a briefing with Senior Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, Lexi Barrett, and Acting Deputy Director of Policy to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, David Langdon, for a discussion on building an equitable workforce. In their conversation, Barrett and Langdon answered tough questions on topics ranging from skills gaps in the labor market, to education reform, and gender equity in the workplace.

In this episode, Business Forward hosted a briefing with Jared Bernstein, member of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers for a discussion on the economic impacts of Build Back Better and the Federal Reserve nominations. In his conversation with NewDEAL leader and Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine, Bernstein answered tough questions on topics ranging from inflation, supply chains, to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

In this episode, Business Forward hosted a briefing with the U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh for a discussion on what workforce development and the labor components of Build Back Better means for small businesses. In his conversation with NewDEAL leader and Denver Colorado, Mayor Michael Hancock, Secretary Walsh answered tough questions on topics ranging from COVID relief to technological innovations and workforce recruitment.

In this episode, Business Forward hosted a briefing with former U.S. Secretary of Education John King for a discussion on what K through 12 education and workforce development means for small businesses and local economies. After a brief introduction and opening remarks, Secretary King answered questions on topics ranging from pandemic learning loss to preparing students for success and the future of workforce development.Resources mentioned in the briefing: K12 Climate Action: https://www.k12climateaction.org/ A coalition organizing for environmental sustainability in the school system by shifting schools to clean energy, sustainable food use, and clean transportation within the next decade.Podcast: Hiring for Skills and the Future of Work https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/businessfwd/episodes/2021-04-05T17_53_07-07_00Byron Auguste, CEO and Co-founder of Opportunity@Work, and David Sutphen, Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer for 2U, joined us for a discussion of skills and opportunity gaps, the public a

On October 15th, Business Forward, Small Business for America's Future, American Sustainable Business Council, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted a briefing with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo for a discussion on the Build Back Better agenda. After a brief introduction and opening remarks, Secretary Raimondo answered questions on topics ranging from climate to workforce vaccination mandates.

On September 30th, Business Forward hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm for a briefing and Q&A moderated by Executive Director of Business Forward Liz Fairchild on the Build Back Better agenda and how bold climate action will help business leaders across the country. Secretary Granholm answered questions on topics ranging from reconciliation to clean energy to what tax reform means for small businesses. She also discussed the importance of business leader support and how they can get involved.

On September 23, Business Forward President Jim Doyle and Spitfire Strategies Director Annabelle Gardner hosted a media training on best practices when speaking to the media about voting rights and the Freedom to Vote Act. They also discussed how small businesses can help advocate for stronger voting reforms in their communities and best practices for writing an op-ed or letter to the editor.

On September 9th, Business Forward hosted Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice and Guns Policy Chiraag Bains for a discussion on the Administration’s plan for gun violence prevention. After a brief introduction and opening remarks, Chiraag answered questions from business leaders across the country covering topics from gun violence as a public health issue, criminal justice reform and second chance hiring, and ways to engage their communities.

On July 29, Business Forward hosted Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, for a briefing on workforce development and K-12 & adult skill building. In his conversation with NewDEAL leader and Montgomery, Alabama, Mayor Steven Reed, he answered questions from business leaders across the country on topics ranging from education to equity and workforce recruitment. They also discussed how business leaders can get involved with workforce development in their communities.

On July 14, Business Forward hosted former IRS Commissioners Fred Goldberg Jr. and Charles Rossotti for a briefing and Q&A on modernizing the IRS and shrinking the tax gap. They answered questions from business leaders across the country on topics ranging from the unequal distribution of the tax gap to what an updated IRS would look like. They also discussed how business leaders can get involved with the proposals covered in the briefing.

On June 29, Business Forward hosted a briefing with Chair Brenda Mallory, and Director of Public Engagement David Kieve, both at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, for a discussion on the Administration’s plans for climate change and environmental justice.After opening remarks and a brief Q&A with Chair Brenda Mallory, David Kieve answered additional questions from business leaders across the country, covering topics ranging from emerging clean energy technologies to emissions regulations.

On June 28, Business Forward hosted Amy Martin, President of Tennessee Cable & Broadband Association, Tom Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste, Cassandra Denton, Owner of SanSational Creations, and State Representative Martin Daniels for a roundtable moderated by Jim Doyle, President of Business Forward, on the digital divide and Knoxville Utility Board proposal. Panelists discussed what a government-owned network would mean for business leaders, the importance of public-private collaboration, and how business leaders can get involved.

On June 16, Business Forward hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm for a briefing and Q&A moderated by NewDEAL leader, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego on the American Jobs Plan and building our energy infrastructure back better. Secretary Granholm answered questions from business leaders across the country on topics ranging from the security and resilience of our energy system to American competitiveness in the clean energy sector. She also discussed the importance of public-private collaboration and how business leaders can get involved.

On June 8th, Business Forward hosted a discussion with Natasha Sarin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Zach Butterworth, Director of Private Sector Engagement at the White House Office of Public Engagement.After opening remarks from Butterworth on the American Families Plan, Sarin discussed the IRS and tax provisions of the Plan -- including its efforts to revitalize IRS enforcement and technology, how to increase fairness in the tax system, and the steps business leaders can take to help advocate in their communities.

On June 3, Business Forward President Jim Doyle and Spitfire Strategies Director Annabelle Gardner hosted a media training on best practices when speaking to the media about the anti-corruption and voting rights provisions of the For the People Act. They also discussed how small businesses can help advocate for stronger voting reforms in their communities and best practices for writing an op-ed or letter to the editor.

On May 27, Business Forward hosted a discussion between Managing Director of the Clean Slate Initiative Sheena Meade and Director of Justice Reform and Racial Equity Policy at Microsoft Danyelle Soloman on the power of enacting clean slate policies for economic and workforce development. Chiraag Bains, Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice & Guns Policy at the Domestic Policy Council at the White House joined for introductory remarks.

On May 20, Jim Doyle hosted a media training on best practices when speaking to the media about gun safety and strengthening background checks. He also discussed how small businesses can help advocate for stronger gun safety legislation in their communities and best practices for writing an op-ed or letter to the editor.If you want to sign on to our statement calling for the Senate to pass bipartisan federal legislation to strengthen background checks, you can add your name here: https://www.businessforward.org/bipartisan-background-check-legislation/Business Forward also released a media training manual on gun safety and background checks that you can access here: https://www.businessforward.org/press/new-training-manual-on-gun-safety/

On May 14, Business Forward and Small Business for America’s future hosted Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Bharat Ramamurti, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council for a briefing and Q&A on the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. They answered questions from business leaders across the country on topics from procurement opportunities in infrastructure investment to making the tax code fair for small businesses.

On May 12, Business Forward hosted a briefing and Q&A on passing federal background check legislation for all gun sales with Sarah Trumble, Senior Director of Federal Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety.Trumble outlined what federal background check legislation for gun sales would do, how it helps, its chances of passing in Congress, and the steps business leaders can take to help advocate in their communities.

On April 22, Business Forward hosted a briefing and Q&A on the cost of restrictive voting laws with Charles Phillips, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at RECOGNIZE, and David Clunie, Executive Director of the Black Economic Alliance.Phillips and Clunie answered questions about the role of business in the voting rights debate, recent state-level efforts to pass anti-voter legislation, and discussed their observations while recruiting executives to speak up on this issue. They also outlined how business leaders can advocate in their communities.