Mary T. Barra Joins Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Advisory Council

New York - Goldman Sachs today announced that Mary T. Barra, General Motors Chairman and CEO, has joined Goldman Sachs Chairman Lloyd Blankfein, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett and Dr. Michael Porter as a member of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Advisory Council. The Council provides strategic oversight to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, which delivers practical business education and access to capital for small businesses.

Ms. Barra’s appointment was announced during the program’s signature Coaching Session, where Goldman and Bloomberg employees tackle business challenges with over 15 alums of the 10,000 Small Businesses program every year. Coaching sessions cover a number of operational challenges for small business owners, including human resources, finance, operations, marketing, strategy and IT.

In addition to Ms. Barra’s leadership on the Advisory Council, General Motors will offer the expertise of its employees to current scholars and alums of the 10,000 Small Businesses Program through offerings on relevant topics; for example, recommended supply chain and procurement practices for small business owners working with larger corporations. This will kick-off with a 10,000 Small Businesses Detroit area alumni event in early 2019.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses launched in Southeast Michigan in 2013 and has committed $20 million to help the region’s small businesses by providing entrepreneurs with practical business education, access to capital, and business support services. To date, nearly 400 business owners have participated in the program. A sign of the region’s entrepreneurial drive and “can-do” spirit, Southeast Michigan alumni have seen significant growth in revenue and job creation, and are a catalyst for Detroit’s small business ecosystem.

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