As head of the nation’s leading trade association for entrepreneurs and micro-businesses (10 or fewer employees), Robert Hughes draws on his experience and perspective as a small-business owner and brings a keen understanding of the unique issues, challenges and opportunities faced by the self-employed.

Hughes, who is a CPA and has managed his own accounting practice Hall & Hughes in Dallas-Fort Worth for the past 20 years, was named president of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) in 2001.
 
Prior to this position, he was a member of the organization’s Board of Directors for 15 years, and most recently served as Secretary/Treasurer. In his CPA practice, Hughes has worked extensively with small- business owners and has witnessed first-hand how various laws and regulations affect them. This experience has helped shape his leadership of the NASE as the leading resource for the nation’s self-employed and micro-businesses.

In his NASE leadership role, Hughes has focused on continually improving the organization’s products and services, working to upgrade and expand benefits to reflect the changing face and needs of micro-businesses. In particular, Hughes has concentrated on bringing small-business owners more technology options -- including NASE-hosted e-mail accounts and a new online legislative outreach program -- to help the self-employed operate more efficiently and establish a stronger and more timely dialogue with legislators.

Hughes has been a major force in advocating for micro-business interests in Washington D.C., raising awareness of the issues and needs of the self-employed among legislators and the Executive Branch. Among the organization’s key legislative priorities in recent years have been fighting for tax equality for the smallest businesses, maximizing health insurance tax credits, as well as representing the interests of micro-businesses in the debate surrounding Social Security Reform.

“Our NASE membership understands that while they’re in business for themselves, it’s good to have a partner behind the scenes who knows and understands the issues they have, and can give them the support they need to address these issues,” said Hughes. “Our ongoing challenge is to continue to provide a compelling menu of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and – in the process – help drive the continued growth of this important segment of the American economy.”

Hughes is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also is a member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI).