Over the past decade, small businesses have created more than 65 percent of all new jobs.

Representatives from the Small Business Administration, Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, DeKalb Workforce Development, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Department of Commerce, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce ¬– among many others – were on hand Feb. 19 to help small businesses best leverage their resources to succeed and grow.

The forum also featured SBA Business Development Specialist and Veterans Business Development Officer Jorge Valentin-Stone, who will highlight SBA, Recovery Act, SBA Patriot loans and federal government contract opportunities for disabled veterans.

“In the past 12 months, I have been focused on job creation and economic recovery,” said Johnson. “The hardship is ongoing and much work remains. There are difficult months and likely years ahead.  But with hard work, good public policy, and cooperation like we are witnessing here today, certainly we shall recover.

“Since January 2009, we’ve invested more than $200 million in our District’s recovery. We’ve saved or created more than 1,100 teaching jobs, brought $100 million to our schools, hired more than 60 firefighters for DeKalb County, put more and better-equipped police officers on the streets in Rockdale and Gwinnett counties, saved homes, and invested millions in transportation, job training, and energy efficiency.”

Johnson said the economy grew by 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 – an encouraging sign that recovery and reinvestment strategies are working.

Real, sustained job growth is a tougher nut to crack,” Johnson said. “It will come slowly, and in fits and starts.  But we’re taking the right steps.”