WASHINGTON – President George Bush called on Americans during National Small Business Week Sept. 14-20, "to celebrate the achievements of small business owners and encourage and foster the development of new enterprises." The president recognized that "these entrepreneurs create between 60 and 80% of the new jobs nationwide and generate more than 50% of the nation's gross domestic product. Small business owners lead the way in creating new technologies, products, and services. The entrepreneurs who own and operate America's small businesses are an indispensable factor in America's economic strength." The Small Business Administration will host a gathering of top entrepreneurs from around the country to celebrate small businesses and to honor the National Small Business Person of the Year for 2003 during ceremonies planned for the National Entrepreneurial Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C. Sept. 17-19.