Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie have declared October 2010 as Family Business Awareness Month in Minnesota. According to this proclamation and Family Business, 90% of the businesses in the United States are family owned, underscoring their importance to the state and national economy.
Text of the Proclamation:
State of Minnesota Proclamation
Whereas: Family businesses are critical to the success of our state and national economy; and
Whereas: Family businesses enhance our communities by providing stable, trustworthy services; and
Whereas: According to Family Business, 90 percent of the businesses in the United States are family businesses, and create 86 percent of all new jobs in the United States; and
Whereas: Family businesses generate 49 percent of the gross domestic product, and employ 80 percent of the U.S. workforce; and
Whereas: Of Fortune 500 companies, 37 percent are family controlled, and 60 percent of all publicly-held U.S. companies are family controlled; and
Whereas: Cargill, with its headquarters in the State of Minnesota, is the largest family business in the United States.
Now, Therefore, I, TIM PAWLENTY, Governor of Minnesota, do hearby proclaim the month of October 2010, to be
Family Business Awareness Month in the State of Minnesota.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Minnesota to be affixed at the State Capitol this 14th day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand and ten, and of the State the one hundred fifty-second.
Tim Pawlenty, Governor
Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State
