The SBIR community has lost a dear friend and pioneer of the SBIR program this week. Arthur Obermayer was one of the earliest and most effective supporters of SBIR, and without his strong support and testimony during the House hearings on Small Business and Innovation in 1978, the program probably wouldn’t exist.   He is the person who convinced Senator Kennedy to create the SBIR at the National Science Foundation.

Arthur and his wife Judy were delegates to the White House Conference on Small Business in 1980 and led the fight to make sure that SBIR was one of the top recommendations of the White House Conference.  For their contributions to the SBIR program, the SBA last year inducted both Arthur and Judy Obermayer into the SBIR Hall of Fame.

Arthur died peacefully on Sunday, surrounded by family and friends.  Our sincere condolences to his wife Judy and his family.