Nonprofit Leader Talks with Romney about Importance of Sector

Cynthia Mills, President and CEO of the Tree Care Industry Association located in Concord NH, had an opportunity to talk with Presidential hopeful Governor Mitt Romney recently and asked him about his experiences with the nonprofit sector and ideas for investing in the sector. Here is her report:

"Tonight, I attended the Londonderry, NH Town Hall Meeting with Governor Romney.

Again, the non-profit community was very fortunate today. The Governor selected me to ask a question, and I took the opportunity to share our statistics again and told him our community was very interested in how he would engage this critical segment of our nation's infrastructure in his vision for America.

Governor Romney immediately turned to his experience leading the Olympics and its interrelationship with the government. He shared how he had turned it around and even was able to operate without all of the federal money granted for the event due to their success. Governor Romney said that he thinks of non-profits as enterprises - as entities that are the seat of innovation. He indicated that as a part of private enterprise, he believes that one of the most important things that can be done for us is to minimize the regulation that makes it tremendously challenging to operate. He was very supportive of not-for-profits and the role that we play.

Before I could leave, I was then approached by Ellen Sulfhorst, New York Correspondent for Reuters America - the world's largest international multimedia news agency. She requested an interview, so I spent about a half hour with her. She was interested in understanding the NHPP, my organization, and the overall experience of the primary in NH.

The Manchester Union Leader then stopped me on the way to the car and wanted to ask more follow up questions.

Then, before I could get from there across the parking lot, State Representative Baldasaro stopped me to discuss not-for-profit issues, as he is personally involved in multiple ways.

So all in all, today has been quite the successful day in getting the word out about nonprofits."