SEC Announces New Members of Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee

Washington, D.C.–(Newsfile Corp. – May 4, 2023) – The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced 14 new members of the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. The new members were appointed to four-year terms to fill vacancies arising primarily from the expiration of prior members’ terms.

“I thank the new members for agreeing to serve on the Advisory Committee, which plays an important role in our work to facilitate capital formation for companies of every size,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Small businesses employ nearly half of America’s workforce and make up more than 99 percent of America’s businesses. The investors, entrepreneurs, and advisors named today understand this well, and I am pleased the SEC will benefit from their perspective.”

New Commission-appointed Committee members are:

• Wemimo Abbey – Co-Founder and CEO, Esusu; Los Angeles, CA
• Stacey Bowers – Professor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law; Of Counsel, 3Pillars Law PLLC; Denver, CO
• George Cook– Co-Founder and CEO, Honeycomb Credit; Pittsburgh, PA
• Vincent Cordero – Partner, Co-CEO and Chief Business Officer, Mucho Mas Media; Miami, FL
• Marcia Dawood – Venture Partner, Mindshift Capital; Charlotte, NC
• Bart Dillashaw – Founder, Enterprise Legal Studio; Omaha, NE
• Herbert Drayton III – Founder and Managing Partner, HI Mark Capital; Charleston, SC
• Erica Duignan– Founder and General Partner, Reign Ventures; New York, NY
• Diego Mariscal – CEO, Founder and Chief Disabled Officer, 2Gether-International; Washington, DC
• Laura Niklason – Founder, President, and CEO, Humacyte; Durham, NC
• Davyeon Ross – Co-Founder and President, ShotTracker; Overland Park, KS
• Jasmin Sethi –  CEO and Founder, Sethi Clarity Advisors; Philadelphia, PA
• Aren Sharifi – Attorney, Kutak Rock LLP; Denver, CO
• Dennis Sugino – Founder, Kansa Advisory, LLC; Huntington Beach, CA

Current members Sue Washer and Donnel Baird will remain on the Committee, as their four-year terms have not yet expired. Current Committee members also include three non-voting members appointed by each of the SEC’s Investor Advocate, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and the Small Business Administration. The Committee also has an observer appointed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, including smaller public companies. Committee members represent a diverse spectrum of entrepreneurs, investors, and advisers who work with early stage private companies and smaller public companies, including minority- and women-owned small businesses. Additional information about the Committee, its members, and prior meeting materials is available on the Committee webpage.