For Immediate Release:
October 7, 1996

MORE THAN 2,500 CEO’S AND BUSINESS LEADERS ENDORSE PRESIDENT CLINTON,
PRESS ACTIVITIES MARKING ENDORSEMENT HELD IN 27 STATES

Praising President Clinton’s leadership in putting the economy "on the right track," more than 2,500 CEO’s and business leaders from around the nation today endorsed the reelection of President Clinton and Vice President Gore. President Clinton accepted the endorsement at an event with over 300 of these business leaders in Stamford, Connecticut.

The Stamford event kicks off press activities in 27 states across the country today. The activities feature business leaders, economists, community activists and Clinton/Gore campaign officials. (See attached list.)

The business leaders supporting President Clinton and Vice President Gore represent a broad cross-section of American industry -- from agriculture to aerospace -- and from all fifty states. They include many of the leading names in American business, small business owners, women, Republicans, and minority business leaders.

President Clinton used the occasion to call on business leaders to work with him to continue strengthening the economy and to help move people from welfare to work. "Together with American business, we have put our economy on the right track -- with more jobs and more opportunity, and 1.9 million fewer people on welfare than the day I took office. But we must ensure that everyone can reap the rewards of a strong economy. Every business has a role to play in moving people from welfare to work," he said.

Business leaders at the Stamford event agreed to meet President Clinton’s challenge. The President acknowledged their support saying, "I am pleased that so many of the nation’s business leaders are rising to the challenge of our new welfare reform law, and finding new ways to replace welfare checks with paychecks."

William Esrey, who is CEO of Sprint Corporation and a long-time Republican, explained why the business leaders were supporting the President and the Vice President. "There has been a realization that the Clinton Administration has been good for American business. President Clinton has shown that he believes that business is part of the solution, not the problem, for America," he said.

Agnes Mu, who is owner of a California-based travel business added, "President Clinton has helped my dream come true. Four years ago, my business almost closed because the economy was so bad. Now, under President Clinton, the economy is back, business is good, and small businesses like mine are succeeding, growing and creating new jobs."

This coalition will continue to build support for President Clinton and Vice President Gore, explained Steven Rattner, who is Managing Director of the investment firm Lazard Freres & Co. Rattner pointed to the success of "Wall Street and Main Street" businesses under President Clinton as the reason for the enthusiastic response to the coalition’s work. "Wall Street has seen the economy make remarkable progress in the past four years under President Clinton. The stock market continues to set new records, more than 10.5 million new jobs have been created, and we are creating whole new industries in areas such as information and technology."

Mary Walker, who is CEO of Expanding Technologies, Inc. and President of the National Federation of Black Women Business Owners, concluded, "President Clinton has been a big supporter of small business. He has helped create opportunity for millions of Americans -- including record numbers of women -- to open businesses, work, succeed, and improve the quality of life for themselves and their families."

These endorsements were made by the business leaders in their individual capacities and are not the endorsements of the corporations for which they work.

# # #

The following are individual endorsements and do not represent the endorsement of any affiliated organization.

ARIZONA:
Activity: Press Event and tour of Call America
Surrogates: Mickey Kantor who is the Secretary of Commerce, Kathy Haycock, CEO, Call America, Arnold Smith, CEO, Smith Pipe and Steel, Alfredo Gutterriez, owner, Jamison and Gutterriez, Eddie Basha, owner, Basha Inc.

ARKANSAS:
Surrogate: Mack McLarty who is the Counselor to the President, Local business leaders

CALIFORNIA:
Activity: Press Conference at Sun America in Century City
Surrogates: Laura Tyson who is the Chair of Economic Council, Local business leaders including: Eli Broad, CEO, Sun America, Roger Johnson, RJ and Associates, Al Checchi, Northwest Airlines, Bram Goldsmith, City National Corporation, Harold Patrick, Patrick Enterprises, Frank Biandi, MCA Universal, Stuart Moldow, Gymboree Corporation, Karen Kaplan, Fredas Inc

COLORADO:
Surrogates: Mickey Kantor who is the Secretary of Commerce, Local business leaders including:, John Scully, Vice President, US West, Zee Ferufino, owner, KBNO Radio, Mike Stratton, partner, Feldman Stratton Companies, Ralph Peterson, CEO, CH2M Hills Companies, LaRae Orullian, Chairman, Women's Bank, Ron Montoya, President, Plasticom Industries

DELAWARE:
Activity: Press Conference to announce CEOs for Clinton/Gore
Surrogates: Ruth Ann Minner who is the Lt. Governor and a small business owner

FLORIDA:
Activity: Roundtable and Press Availability in Tampa
Surrogates: Buddy MacKay who is the Lt. Governor, Charles Dusseaut, former State Commerce Secretary, Representative from Enterprise Florida

GEORGIA:
Activity: Press Briefing at Commerce Club
Surrogates: Mack McLarty who is the Counselor to the President, Local business leaders including: Pete Correll, CEO Georgia Pacific Jack Stahl, President Coca-Cola USA, Carolyn Stradley, President C&S Paving, A.D. Fraiser, Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, Hocom Green, Chief Operating Officer, Atlanta Comm. for the Olympic Games

HAWAII:
Activity: Radio
Surrogates: George Katero, CEO, Katero Enterprises

ILLINOIS:
Activity: Press Conference at Mayer, Brown and Platt
Surrogates: Bill Daley, Sr., Local business leaders including: Eleanor Williams, Vice President, Sara Lee, Helen Crawley, President and CEO, C&L Petroleum, Rachel Hubka, Rachel Bus Company

INDIANA:
Activity: Roundtable and Press Conference at the Indiana Democratic Law Society
Surrogates: Economists: Robert Harris, PhD, Philip Powell, PhD, Morton Marcus, PhD

IOWA:
Activity: Press Conference at Bally Junction in Des Moines
Surrogates: Aneeta Bahlla, Owner Gourmet Kitchen Stores

KENTUCKY:
Activity: Press Event in Paducah at the Mid American Expo Center
Surrogates: Albert Jones who is the mayor, Danny Orazine who is the County Judge Executive, Donny James, owner Mid America Expo Center, Local business leaders including: Jesus Menendez, Marsha Wontor, Gayle Rogers, and Sherman Jones

LOUISIANA:
Activity: Press Availability
Surrogates: Local business leaders

MARYLAND:
Activity: Radio and print interviews
Surrogates: Local business leaders

MASSACHUSETTS:
Activity: Radio Interviews
Surrogates: Local business leaders

MICHIGAN:
Activity: Press Event at the Detroit Economic Club
Surrogate: Mickey Kantor who is the Secretary of Commerce, Local business leaders including: Vinnie Johnson, owner Piston's Packaging, former Piston player, Ken Harden, owner, Harden Heating and Cooling, Bob Mitchell, Chairman, Mitchell Communications, Dwight Carrlson, Vice President, Perception Inc., George Franklin, Vice President Worldwide Governmental Affairs, Kellogs Co.

MINNESOTA:
Activity: Press Conference in Minneapolis
Surrogates: Janet Johnson, CEO Natural Spaces, Jerry Johnson, Owner, Jerry Signs, Inc., Bill Davis, President Community Action

MISSOURI:
Activity 1: Press Conference outside Monsanto Corporation in St. Louis
Surrogates: Cecilia Nandal, CEO, Productive Futures Inc., Linda Jacobson, Global Vision Strategies, Kevin Cahill, Vice President, Monsanto Corporation, Bob Holden, State Treasurer
Activity 2: Press Conference outside Board of Trade Building in Kansas City
Surrogates: Representative Karen McCarthy

MONTANA:
Activity: Radio Actuality and phone interviews from Hartford
Surrogates: Robert Minto, Jr., President/CEO, ALPS, Michael Overstreet, CEO, Corporate Air

NEVADA:
Activity: Interviews and radio
Surrogates: Jan Jones who is the Mayor, Yvonne Adkinson-Gates who is the County Commissioner

NEW JERSEY:
Activity: Radio/interviews
Surrogates: Local business leaders

NEW MEXICO:
Activity: Radio and phone interviews
Surrogates: Elizabeth Pohl, CEO, TC Enterprises, Former Lt. Governor Casey Luna

NEW YORK:
Activity: Press Conference in front of Sheraton in New York City
Surrogates: Bob Hormats, chair, Goldman Sachs, Manfred Ohrenstein, CEO, TPG Advisors, former State Senator, Bruce Llewellyn, Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company

NORTH CAROLINA:
Activity: Press Interviews
Surrogate: Robert Jordan, owner, Jordan Lumber and former Lt. Governor

NORTH DAKOTA:
Activity 1: Walk down Main Street
Surrogates: Local business leaders
Activity 2: Press Availability from Connecticut
Surrogates: Business leaders attending national event

OREGON:
Activity: Business Roundtable Breakfast, Editorial Board Meeting with Oregonian
Surrogates: Mickey Kantor who is the Secretary of Commerce, Local business leaders

PENNSYLVANIA:
Activity 1: Press Conference at Sienna’s restaurant in Market Square in Pittsburgh
Surrogates: Dan Kinross, Kinross Insurance, Janet Gaultieri, Contemporary Technologies, Robin Fernandez, Siena Restaurant, Dena Rose, Rose Stein and Associates, Ron Yoder, Record Village, Ed Lowey, Banner Coin Exchange

Activity 2: Press Interviews in Philadelphia
Surrogates: Local business leaders

RHODE ISLAND:
Surrogates: Laura Tyson, Jack Reed, Senate candidate, College students

SOUTH CAROLINA:
Event: Press Event in Columbia
Surrogates: Local business leaders including: Barbara Rackes, owner, Rackes retail stores, Rett Jackson, owner and President, The Happy Bookseller

SOUTH DAKOTA:
Activity: Press Availability/Press Release
Surrogates: Jim Abbott, President, Zylstra Communications

TEXAS:
Activity: Press Event at Landry’s on the Lake in Austin
Surrogates: Garry Mauro, Texas Clinton/Gore ‘96 Advisory Committee Chair
Local business leaders including: Ben Barnes, Principal, Entre Corp, former Lt. Governor, Thomas Farrell, President, Thomas W. Farell Company, Tilman Fertitta, President Landry's Seafood Restaurants, Carol Hadnot, Principal, Business Resource Consultants, Marta Mattox, CEO, Texas Crystal Natural Water, Toni Moss, CEO, Mortgage Analysis Portfolio Strategies

UTAH:
Activity: Press Event at local car dealership
Surrogates: Jim Hinkley, owner, local car dealership, Gus Paulos, President, The Summit Group, David Ibarra, Henry Dade Ford, Loraine Miller, President, Tropical and Cactus

VERMONT:
Activity: Radio
Surrogates: Local business leaders

WASHINGTON:
Activity: Press Conference announcing Clinton/Gore endorsement, Radio/interviews
Surrogates: Mickey Kantor who is the Secretary of Commerce, Local business leaders

Paid for by Clinton/Gore ’96 General Committee, Inc.