Nancy L. Johnson: “today I rise to pay special tribute to a woman business owner in my district who is a shining example of the dramatic…”

“today I rise to pay special tribute to a woman business owner in my district who is a shining example of the dramatic impact that women business owners are having on our economy. In the state of Connecticut there are approximately 104,000 women-owned businesses. This female entrepreneurship accounts for 35 percent of all firms in the state of Connecticut, employing 23 percent of all Connecticut workers. In June 1985, Betsy Perkins and her husband Jack opened the doors of Perkins Travel. Betsy, a former executive in American Express' travel division, had always wanted to be a business owner. She found herself ready to take the plunge into entrepreneurship when all of her children went off to college. One of her sons had unknowingly provided her with this golden opportunity when he chose to attend the Naval Academy. His decision gave his parents the financial flexibility to strike out on their own, and Perkins Travel was born. While Betsy maintained close ties to her old company, Perkins Travel struggled in its early years. Betsy called on many corporate executives who were concerned that her new company could not handle their $3 million dollar a year travel budgets. But, Betsy saw a need in the community and set out to fill it with determination.”