Last night, I finished watching the final episode of the HBO mini-series "John Adams," which provided a unique insight into the minds, lives and challenges of our great nation’s founding fathers. I am amazed that people like John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin were able to craft our Constitution and other founding principles and documents that has lasted hundreds of years. Imagine writing a business plan today for the year 2240? These guys were geniuses!

Some things never change. And some things never should. One of America’s timeless, founding principles is a commitment to free and open economic markets and a limited government role intended only to regulate, pass and enforce laws that yield an even playing field. Free markets create fair and open competition which produces innovation, efficiency and progression. This free enterprise economy, formed by our founding fathers 232 years ago, has enabled America to become the number one world economic superpower today. (An example of how central government interference does not work was on display for the world to see after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 exposed the widespread decay and waste of the former Soviet bloc economy).

NaVOBA takes this same, founding father approach every day in its fight for the veteran business owner’s place at the corporate dinner table. We don’t convince corporate America to "buy veteran" through a sense of entitlement. Entitlement is a perishable benefit, meant only to temporarily change the rules to even the playing field.

We know that we, as veteran business owners, run competitive, efficient businesses. We know that we are innovators. We know that we provide great value to our customers. Our competitive advantage rests in the principled, professional approach we learned from military service. NaVOBA touts that "business case" every day to corporate America.

By joining NaVOBA, you enjoin yourself with 3 million fellow veterans who have chosen to own and operate a business. You become part of a strong, unified national voice. You make "veteran-owned" a seal of approval that corporate America looks for when seeking innovative, efficient and reliable suppliers. You make our founding fathers proud. You justify the free, open markets that you fought for while in uniform.

Thanks for serving,

Chris Hale

NaVOBA President • U.S. Navy, 9 yrs.

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