I’m really pleased to report that I’ll be welcoming a fellow small business owner to the podium to keynote the 8th Annual Spirit of Small Business Awards luncheon this year on Thursday, Aug. 12.

Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, whose political career I’ve followed with great interest for the past decade, will be this year’s Spirit speaker. The event will take place at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree resort.

Choosing Maldonado as our speaker was an easy choice in a difficult year. First came our support for his contentious nomination for the lieutenant governor’s spot. If anybody deserved to be elevated from the California Senate to a statewide job, it was Maldonado.

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