DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate joins business owners across the state in recognizing National Small Business Week (May 4-8), as designated by the Small Business Administration.

"Small businesses have an enormous impact on our economy," Secretary Pate said. "They are the backbone of our economy in Iowa and across the country."

The Secretary of State's Office is the gateway for small businesses in Iowa. There are more than 60,000 small businesses across the state, employing more than 643,000 workers. Across the country, 28 million small businesses employ almost 60 percent of the nation's workforce, according to SBA data.

The Iowa Secretary of State's Business Services Division helps nearly 150,000 companies across the state annually with start-ups, corporate filings and assisting with biennial reports, as well as more than 138,000 Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings. The Iowa Secretary of State's office assisted with and conducted nearly 360,000 business filings last year.

Secretary Pate, who is also a small business owner, encourages small business owners and those who help to start a small business, to participate in the free webinars taking place throughout the week that are offered by the Small Business Administration.

To participate in one of the webinars, go to this link: https://www.sba.gov/nsbw/nsbw. The SBA has been recognizing National Small Business week since 1963.

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