2023 AEO National Conference

May 1 - May 3
Detroit, Michigan

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OVERVIEW

AEO’s 2023 National Conference, (Re)route: Reconnecting the Ecosystem, is a rally point for small business advocates, microlenders, and small business owners to propose practical and policy solutions that can catalyze tangible progress toward economic inclusion for all. Including small business owners for the first time in AEO’s history, this year’s conference will feature working groups on critical topics, tailored tracks for business owners and practitioners, and insightful plenary sessions.

In the spirit of re-routing, AEO is headed back to Detroit, a city known for its resilience and transformative innovation. As we immerse in this hub of ingenuity, AEO will chart a new course toward actionable strategies that unify key actors to bring about deep and lasting impact for Main Street.

Videos

Day One

Fireside Chat

Mayor's Panel

Don Cravins

Day Two

Opening Remarks

Modern Economy Project (1 of 3)

Modern Economy Project (2 of 3)

Modern Economy Project (3 of 3)

Awards

Honorees

Isabella Casillas Guzman

Administrator

U.S. Small Business Administration

Everett Sands

CEO

Lendistry

Ron Busby Sr.

President and CEO

U.S. Black Chambers

Jay Bailey

President and CEO

HJ Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

Dan Schulman

President and CEO

PayPal

Ron Fong

Executive Director

Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Collaborative

Featured Speakers

Rep. Rashida Tlaib

D-MI

United States Congress

Rep. Debbie Dingell

D-MI

United States Congress

Donna M. Ragucci

SES Executive Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Department of the Treasury

Jonathan Bowles

Executive Director

Center for an Urban Future

Maude Toussaint

Senior Policy Economist

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Paul Disselkoen

Senior Associate, Public Affairs & Strategic Research

PayPal

Sharen Rooks

Creative Director

Power Media Solutions

Trina Shanks

Director of Community Engagement; Founding Director, Center for Equitable Family & Community Well-Being

University of Michigan

Rep. Shri Thanedar

D-MI

United States Congress

Mayor Sheldon Neeley

Flint, MI

Mayor Roslyn Grafstein

Madison Heights, MI

Mayor Marcus Muhammad

Benton Harbor, MI

Mayor Michele Hodges

Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Mayor Melanie Piana

Ferndale, MI

Mia Ambrose-Burbank

President, Co-Founder

VMS365

Chris Wheat

President

JP Morgan Chase Institute

Ron Busby Sr.

President and CEO

U.S.Black Chambers

Rob Fairlie

Professor of Economics

University of California, Santa Cruz

Ron Fong

Executive Director

Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Collaborative

Amanda Bloudeau

Chief Strategy Officer

Northan Initiatives

Dani Robbins

Director of Governance Strategy

BoardSource

Gustavo Lasala

President & CEO

PeopleFund

Germaine McIver-Cherry

Sr. Program Director

African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs

Navia McCloud

Senior Vice President

Fifth Third Bank

Ines Polonius

CEO

Communities Unlimited

Mitch Jacobs

CEO & Founder

Plink

John Stanford

Managing Partner

Prism Group

Lori Smith

Senior Research Associate

Association for Enterprise Opportunity

Donald Cravins

Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development

U.S. Department of Commerce

THE SPONSOR
EXPERIENCE