Monday, October 30, 2006

Timothy Sullivan, chief executive of Fidelis Security Systems Inc., doesn't usually spend his afternoons rubbing elbows with bigwigs like President Bush. But last Monday, Sullivan, a Republican who voted for Bush, did just that at the I Street NW branch of billionaire Robert L. Johnson's Urban Trust Bank.

"It was the first time I'd ever met the president," Sullivan said. "He's an experienced businessman, so I think he understood a lot of the challenges for businesses to differentiate themselves and capitalize themselves adequately."

Bank officials invited Sullivan and two other local executives -- Tony Rome, president of a Silver Spring marketing firm, and Kathy Boden, who runs a water treatment company in the District -- to meet with Bush.

"It came about when I got a call from the White House saying the president is interested in stopping by the bank and meeting with entrepreneurs involved with the bank," said Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television Inc. "They said he wanted to hear their stories about how they viewed the economy and Bush's tax policies. They asked me if I'd round up some entrepreneurs, and I said I'd be delighted."

It wasn't the first time Johnson met the president. He once traveled to Charlotte with Bush in support of a free trade agreement and has made phone calls on behalf of the Caribbean trade initiative.

At Monday's meeting, topics included changes in the capital gains tax, repealing the estate tax and the importance of access to capital for small businesses.

"It was a great platform to get the word out for the bank and for the president to talk about what he's doing to promote entrepreneurship," Johnson said.

-- Dana Hedgpeth