WHO: SBA National Ombudsman Nicholas Owens will host the March Web chat on “Regulatory Fairness and Your Small Business.”

Owens, who also serves as assistant administrator for Regulatory Enforcement Fairness at the SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman, leads the national effort to ensure fairness in federal regulations on small business, while working to diminish disputes between small businesses and federal regulatory agencies.

WHAT: Chat participants will have the opportunity to learn more about how the Office of the National Ombudsman can help small business owners with unfair and excessive federal regulatory enforcement, such as repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines or other unfair actions by a federal agency.

The SBA’s live Web chat series provides business owners the opportunity to discuss online relevant issues with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs.  Participants have direct, real-time access to the Web chats via questions they submit online in advance and during the session, and receive instant answers.

WHEN: Thursday, March 15, 2007, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., ET. Owens will take questions on how the National Ombudsman can be a vital resource for small business owners.

HOW: Chat participants can join the live Web chat by going online to www.sba.gov, and clicking the “Online Business Chat” icon.  Participants may post questions for Owens before March 15th by visiting http://app1.sba.gov/liveMeeting/Mar07/, and posting their questions online.

To review archives of past Web chats, visit online at www.sba.gov/tools/monthlywebchat/index.html.

Contact:  Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059 
Advisory Number: MA07-06
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news