Small Business Administration

• Pages: 523-533

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

409 Third Street SW., Washington, DC 20416

Phone, 202-205-6600. Fax, 202-205-7064. Internet, www.sba.gov.

Administrator Aida Alvarez

Deputy Administrator Fred Hochberg

Chief Counsel for Advocacy Jere W. Glover

Chief Financial Officer Joe Loddo

Chief Operating Officer Kris Marcy

Chief of Staff Kris Swedin

Counselor to the Administrator Betty Baca

Director, Executive Secretariat Susan Walthall

Director, External Affairs (vacancy)

General Counsel Michael Schattman

Inspector General Phyllis Fong

Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance Bernard Kulik

Associate Administrator for Communications and (vacancy)

Public Liaison

Assistant Administrator for Congressional and Jane Merkin

Legislative Affairs

Assistant Administrator for Equal Employment Erline Patrick

Opportunity and Civil Rights Compliance

Associate Administrator for Field Operations Robert Baskin

Assistant Administrator for Hearings and Appeals (vacancy)

Associate Deputy Administrator for Capital Charles Tansey

Access

Associate Administrator for Jane Butler

Financial Assistance

Assistant Administrator for James Wilfong

International Trade

Associate Administrator for Don Christensen

Investment

Associate Administrator for Surety Robert J. Moffitt

Guarantees

Associate Deputy Administrator for Darryl Dennis

Entrepreneurial Development

Associate Administrator for Business Monika Harrison

Initiatives

Assistant Administrator for Native Lydia Pickford

American Affairs

Associate Administrator for Small Johnnie Albertson

Business Development Centers

Assistant Administrator for Veterans Clifton Toulson, Jr.

Affairs

Assistant Administrator for Women's Sherrye Henry

Business Ownership

Associate Deputy Administrator for Government James Ballentine

Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development

Associate Administrator for Barry Meltz, Acting

Government Contracting

Associate Administrator for Minority Delorice Ford, Acting

Enterprise Development

Assistant Administrator for Size Gary M. Jackson

Standards

Assistant Administrator for (vacancy)

Technology

Associate Deputy Administrator for Management Elizabeth A. Montoya

and Administration

Assistant Administrator for Thomas Dumaresq

Administration

Assistant Administrator for Human Carolyn J. Smith

Resources

Chief Information Officer Lawrence Barrett

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The fundamental purposes of the Small Business Administration are to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business; ensure that small business concerns receive a fair portion of Government purchases, contracts, and subcontracts, as well as of the sales of Government property; make loans to small business concerns, State and local development companies, and the victims of floods or other catastrophes, or of certain types of economic injury; and license, regulate, and make loans to small business investment companies.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) was created by the Small Business Act of 1953 and derives its present existence and authority from the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 661).

Activities

Advocacy The Office of Advocacy is mandated by Congress to serve as an independent spokesperson within public policy councils for the more than

22.5 million small businesses throughout the country. The Office is headed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy, appointed by the President from the private sector with the advice and consent of the Senate, who advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before the Congress, the White House, and Federal and State regulatory agencies.

The Office monitors the compliance of Federal agencies with the requirement that they analyze the impact of their regulations on small entities and consider less burdensome alternatives. The Office is one of the leading national sources for information on the state of small business and the issues that affect small business success and growth. It conducts economic and statistical research into matters affecting the competitive strength of small business and jobs created by small business, and analyzes the impact of Federal laws, regulations, and programs on small businesses, making recommendations to policymakers for appropriate adjustments to meet the special needs of small business.

Additionally, regional advocates enhance communication between the small business community and the Chief Counsel. As the Chief Counsel's direct link to local business owners, State and local government agencies, State legislatures, and small business organizations, they help identify new issues and problems of small business by monitoring the effect of Federal and State regulations and policies on the local business communities within their regions.

For further information, contact the Office of Advocacy. Phone, 202-205-

6533. Internet, www.sba.gov/advo.

Business Initiatives SBA develops and cosponsors counseling, education, training, and information resources for small businesses. It has forged ongoing partnerships with resource partners to deliver most of the business education and training programs offered annually at low cost. One-on-one counseling is provided free of charge by the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

The Business Information Center (BIC) program is among the most innovative methods of providing small business owners with a one-stop approach to information, education, and training. The centers combine the latest computer technology, hardware, and software, an extensive small business reference library of hard copy books and publications, and current management videotapes to help clients venture into new business areas. The use of software for a variety of business applications offers clients of all types a means of addressing their diverse needs. Although most BIC's are stand-alone centers, BIC's in empowerment zones will form the core element of one-stop capital shops.

In addition to education and training events, SBA offers publications on a variety of business management and growth topics. These publications are available free of cost on SBA's website, at www.sba.gov.

For further information, contact the Office of Business Initiatives. Phone, 202-205-6665.

Capital Access The Office of the Associate Deputy Administrator for Capital Access provides overall direction for SBA's finance programs, a comprehensive array of debt and equity programs for the smallest start-

up businesses to those which have been in operation for a number of years and need new capital to expand. In addition to lending to businesses which sell their products and services within the United States, the Office provides direction for SBA's business development and financial assistance programs for small-business exporters and a surety bond guarantee program for small-business contractors.

For further information, contact the Office of Capital Access. Phone,

202-205-6657.

Community Development As part of the President's efforts to revitalize distressed inner cities and rural

communities through Federal and local government cooperation, SBA initiated the one stop capital shop initiative in 1994. SBA makes a one stop capital shop available to each enterprise zone community to provide easy access to small business assistance in distressed, underserved communities. Each one stop capital shop has a BIC which offers extensive small business libraries and publications, as well as state-of-the-art computer resources, small business software, and Internet access. They offer extensive training services from local Small Business Development Centers, Service Corps of Retired Executives counseling, microenterprise loans, technical assistance, private sector lending partners, and government contracts assistance.

For further information, contact the Office of One Stop Capital Shop. Phone, 202-205-6706. Internet, www.sba.gov/onestop.

Disaster Assistance The Administration serves as the Federal disaster bank for nonfarm, private sector losses. It lends money to help the victims of floods, riots, or other catastrophes repair or replace most disaster-damaged property. Direct loans with subsidized interest rates are made to assist individuals, homeowners, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations.

For further information, contact the Office of Disaster Assistance. Phone, 202-205-6734.

Financial Assistance SBA provides its guarantee to lending institutions and certified development companies which make loans to small-business concerns (including farms), which in turn, use the loans to provide working capital and help finance the acquisition of land and buildings; the construction, conversion, or expansion of facilities; and the purchase of machinery and equipment.

SBA provides revolving lines of creditand loan guarantees to finance commercial construction or building rehabilitation for sale. It makes loans to qualified employee trusts and may finance small firms that manufacture, sell, install, service, or develop specific energy measures, including engineering, architectural, consulting, or other professional services connected with eligible energy measures. SBA also makes loans for the installation of pollution control measures.

The Administration makes loans and grantsto nonprofit organizations that act as intermediaries to provide technical and small-scale financial assistance to very small businesses under SBA's MicroLoan Program. The Administration also provides small-scale financial and technical assistance to very small businesses through loans and grants to...