Today we’d like to introduce you to Randy Ford.
Randy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
National Write Your Congressman was founded in 1958 by David N. Adamson; he recognized a need in the community to help citizens shape their national government and sought to fill that gap. A patriotic businessperson himself, Mr. Adamson recognized the importance of small business as the backbone of the American economy. He observed how difficult it was for business owners to stay informed about relevant issues in government and to consistently and easily make their opinions known. Through his early “Write Your Congressman Club,” Mr. Adamson provided these citizen leaders with non-partisan summaries of the Congressional record, collected their opinions with simple ballots, and enabled them to mail their personalized feedback to their respective elected officials. The one-of-a-kind organization he started in Texas, with a few researchers writing and mailing monthly materials, has evolved today into a nationwide organization. Today, NWYC provides unbiased, nonpartisan information and research on top issues and pending legislation relevant to the more than 28 million small businesses that make up the U.S. economy.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not everything runs smoothly, but as a family, we believe the succession from one generation to the next should. As one generation hands over the leadership to the next generation, the plans for succession must evolve to encompass current and future needs.
The documents continue to be reviewed periodically to confirm they are addressing the needs and desire of the family board. Second and third generation family members are actively involved in leadership positions within the company. Communication amongst family members is paramount and builds a foundation to create a smooth transition. We may not always agree, we have a formal process in place where everyone is heard.
Every company will have struggles along the way, particularly in the early age of technology. NWYC prides itself on staying ahead of the curve, even if it isn’t easy. NWYC was one of the first to provide a platform for email communication to members of Congress. When this occurred in the late 90s, it was a long and arduous process to ensure accuracy and fluidity, but well worth the time. The end result was the establishment of a seamless opportunity to be informed on an issue and then to communicate an opinion.
Please tell us about National Write Your Congressman.
We are proud to say that NWYC is responsible for over 2 million opinions voiced to Congress and the only organization representing small businesses that is non-partisan.
We inform small business owners on both sides of issues, and give them tools to voice their own opinions to their elected representatives. We as an organization do not lobby, take sides, or otherwise engage in policy-making. This has helped us build a strong base of trust with our membership that represents a broad set of small businesses across all 50 states and most industries.
Another fact about our company that we hold dear is that we are very much a family business. Several generations with ties to our Founder, David N. Adamson, work together to run NWYC today. We are a close-knit family and company and we really treasure that aspect of our organization.
Also, through our non-profit organization, Student Government Affairs Program (SGAP), NWYC members support the development and distribution of educational materials on U.S. government and civics engagement to more than 200,000 students and 2,000 teachers in 2,500 schools annually. Through the contributions of NWYC members and other donations, SGAP is able to reach students in communities across all 50 states providing supplementary classroom materials designed for U.S. government and civics teachers. All SGAP resources are free and focus on the importance of civic engagement. Through a unique partnership with Discovery Education, SGAP provides select educational materials through an online textbook that reaches 3 million students. For more information on how to access SGAP educational resources, please visit, www.sgap.org.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We like to attribute everything to our founder, David N. Adamson, as it is his vision we continue to carry out today.
We also appreciate the support of our team of dedicated sales representatives in the field, as well as our loyal membership! We regularly survey our membership on the status of small business issues and other legislative initiatives and always receive a strong level of participation. This allows us to send a strong message directly to Congress on how small business owners are doing and feeling. Check out the results of our latest Q2 Small Business Index here: https://www.nwyc.com/article/national_write_your_congressman_index_shows_small_business_ready_for_congress_to_get_to_work
Contact Info:
- Website: https://careers.nwyc.com/
- Phone: 1 (214) 342-0299
- Email: resumes@nwycrecruiting.com
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