For more than 50 years, our nation has celebrated small business by a presidential proclamation signed by President Kennedy in 1963. Today, the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce kicks off Celebrate Small Business Week, during which the chamber promotes the impact of small businesses, which help create jobs, grow jobs and reinvest in our community.

Small businesses are the backbone of commerce in America. More than 65 percent of the new jobs created in the U.S. since 1996 have come from small business. In Georgia, 78 percent of all businesses have fewer than 10 employees, and 95 percent of businesses have fewer than 50 employees.

One thing that remains constant in the United States is our entrepreneurial spirit. For generations, Americans have pursued the dream of owning their own small businesses. During Celebrate Small Business Week, the chamber recognizes the critical role that small businesses play in economic growth and global competitiveness.

Chamber has assembled a great line-up of events for Celebrate Small Business Week:

• Today — Star Business of the Week, 11 a.m., Walker Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning Co., Inc., 1614 Greenvale Ave.;
• Tuesday — City of Albany and Dougherty County Joint Proclamation, 11:30 a.m., Mayor’s Office;
• Wednesday — Lunch & Learn-Digital Marketing, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Albany Welcome Center, 112 N. Front St.;
• Thursday — Celebrate Small Business Reception, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Merry Acres Event Center; the 2015 Small Business of the Year will be revealed;
• Friday — Small Business Ribbon Cutting, 2 p.m., Aha Unique Boutique, 1121 Dawson Road.

The highlight of the week’s activities is Thursday’s Celebrate Small Business reception at Merry Acres Event Center, where we will name the 2015 Small Business of the Year. This year the chamber is honored to have 11 nominees for Small Business of the Year. Each business brings something different to the table, illustrating that Albany has a great environment to grow just about any business an entrepreneur can imagine.

The chamber is passionate about promoting our small businesses. At the Chamber’s 105th Annual Meeting in January, we launched our Think Local campaign, which aims to stimulate and accelerate the local economy by encouraging business decision makers and consumers to keep their dollars local, where the impact can be most significant, as dollars recirculate locally.

Did you know that for every $100 spent at a small, locally-owned business, $68 stays within the local economy? Those dollars help create jobs, support families, fund government services through sales taxes, provide investment for neighborhood improvements and promote development in our community.

The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to represent Albany Area small businesses, and to recognize their incredible impact on our community. We encourage all our citizens to join the chamber this week – and every day – as we celebrate and promote small businesses.