DECATUR - On the day that General Motors filed for the biggest industrial bankruptcy in history, business leaders in Decatur celebrated mom and pop small businesses as the "backbone of the American economy."

At the start of Monday's Decatur City Council meeting, Mayor Mike McElroy signed a proclamation declaring June 1 through 5 Small Business Week in Decatur. The proclamation, drafted by Decatur's SCORE chapter which advises and helps small businesses get started, said it was time to "celebrate the many achievements of small business owners, entrepreneurs and employees."

SCORE followed up with a reception at the Decatur Civic Center attended by several small business owners, their advisors, bankers and others involved in the promotion and encouragement of new companies. The fact that the proclamation had been made at the moment of GM's corporate failure wasn't lost on those attending.

"Whoever thought that the former number one corporation in the world would end up like this?" said Myung Kim, SCORE chapter chairman.

He said what made a wheel come off for the mighty car company was the same threat businesses of any size face: "They didn't keep up with their competition, and that is why they failed," he said. "Whether you are a small business or a big business, you need to keep up with the market. That lesson is universal."

Watching GM hit the wall, now owing more than $2 for every $1 it has in assets, was sobering but not off-putting for young businessmen just starting out. Brady Rhoades, a Millikin University graduate who's just finished a SCORE training course, has launched ZeroEightDesign offering business consulting and graphic arts services in Decatur. He's still bullish about the future.

"Even with the economy the way it is, I am optimistic about going into business on my own," said Rhoades, 22. "I am much more confident in determining my own success over depending on some employer."

Rhoades is confident he's got the services, the business model and the knowledge he needs to succeed. He says government can help by acknowledging the vital role small business plays and making sure the regulatory environment encourages entrepreneurship. He says America's education system needs to step up and do its part, too.

"At college and in high school, they need to teach more students about accounting, how to deal with their finances," he added. "Students need to know basic practical math skills, like how to balance a checkbook."

Bob Luther, a SCORE counselor, said the stream of new company owners bringing forth products and services is the adrenaline stimulating America's economic lifeblood. "Big companies may fall by the wayside, but we can run without them," he said.

"The expertise, the innovation, the things that small businesses bring is really unbelievable and sometimes we just don't think about the impact they have on small communities. It's time to thank small businesses and to recognize them."

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