Global K9 invited to White House roundtable to discuss SBIC program

Eric Hare, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global K9 Protection Group (GK9PG), participated in a roundtable discussion at the White House, focussing on recent reforms to the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program.

The event, hosted by the White House National Economic Council (NEC) and the Small Business Administration (SBA), convened business leaders from across the U.S. to discuss the reforms championed by the Biden-Harris Administration.

These changes to the SBIC program aim to broaden the range and variety of private sector investments supporting small businesses and start-ups, and the first SBIC licensee under these recent reforms will focus on investing in technology that is critical to U.S. national security.

GK9PG is a veteran-founded business, offering customized canine security solutions, spanning from cargo screening to event security.

Through its cloud-based video management system, Global View, GK9PG is revolutionizing cargo compliance and processes through digitalizing screening activities, all in compliance with government regulations.

The SBA’s SBIC Diversification and Growth reforms came into effect in August 2023 and aim to improve funding opportunities for women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned small businesses, with financing for these groups reaching USD670 million in the last year alone.

“As the CEO of a veteran-founded and operated organization, I can attest to the importance of these recent reforms in ensuring that small businesses are supported,” said Hare.

The roundtable served as a platform for business leaders to discuss the recent reforms, and to deliberate how these will provide economic growth and generate new employment opportunities.

“It was an honor to be hosted at the White House, and to participate in such an important discussion.

“The SCIB program has contributed to GK9PG’s success over the years, and these reforms will allow the SBA to continue providing support for businesses in underserved industries.

Among the participants was Damien Dwin, Founder and CEO, Lafayette Square, an organisation that invests in middle-market companies, and has supported GK9PG since 2022.

GK9PG now operates in 31 major airports in the U.S., across 166 cities, with a total of over 3.5 million operational detection hours logged company wide.