Pictured below: Host Committee Members and SBA
Administrator, Hector V. Barreto
(see article below for complete list of host
committee members)
July 14, 2006
USPAACC LEADS PACKED SEND-OFF FOR SBA’S HECTOR V.
BARRETO
Washington, DC—The US Pan Asian American Chamber of
Commerce (USPAACC) led a packed room of well-wishers to honor former
SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto at last night’s reception held
at the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington,
DC.
U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Congressman
(R-Illinois) and
Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business Donald A.
Manzullo, U.S. Treasurer Ana Escobedo Cabral, and U.S. Department of
Commerce/MBDA National Director Ronald Langston were among the 250
invited guests who came to extend their best wishes to Barreto, the
21st administrator of the U.S. Small
Business Administration (2001-2006).
USPAACC brought together 17 national trade
associations that champion the cause of the nation’s small
businesses to give a warm send-off to Barreto. Quoting author Ernest
Hemingway, USPAACC National President & CEO Susan Au Allen described
Barreto as somebody who met the challenges with “grace under
pressure” and with valiant courage, who fought hard on behalf of the
small business community.
At the reception, several comments received from the
attendees were: “The trade organizations really came together and
honored Hector Barreto;” “Now that was a classy event;” and “That’s
what a reception on the Hill should look like.” A framed painting
and a large card signed by the attendees were given to Barreto at
the end of the reception.
Under Barreto’s leadership, the SBA successfully
increased the financial and business development resources to the
country’s entrepreneurs. It is estimated that SBA’s
current business loan
portfolio of roughly 219,000 loans is worth more than $45 billion—making
the SBA the nation's largest single financial backer of small
business. He will join The Latino Coalition, a non-profit
organization based in Washington, DC, as its National Chairman.
The other members
of the Farewell Reception Host Committee included: Steven C.
Anderson, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association;
Susan Phillips Bari, President of the Women's Business Enterprise
National Council; Michael Barrera, President & CEO of the U.S.
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Fred R. Becker, Jr., President & CEO
of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions; Roger A.
Campos, President of the Minority Business RoundTable; Daniel A.
Mica, President & CEO of the Credit Union National Association;
Marsha Firestone, Ph.D., Founder & President of the Women
Presidents’ Organization; Sharon G. Hadary, Ph.D., Executive
Director of the Center for Women's Business Research; Karen
Kerrigan, President & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Council; Todd McCracken, President & CEO of the National Small
Business Association; Joseph McInerney, President of the American
Hotel and Lodging Association; Lee Mercer, President of the National
Association of Small Business Investment Companies; Ronald Newlan,
Chairman of the HUBZone Contractors National Council; Matt Shay,
President of the International Franchise Association; Ann Sullivan
of the Women Impacting Public Policy, Inc.; and Don Wilson,
President & CEO of the Association of Small Business Development
Centers.
For media inquiries, contact:
JP Torres at 1 (800) 756.1578 ext. 12
# # #
ABOUT USPAACC:
US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) was formed in
1984 as a national, non-profit organization to represent all Asian
Americans and Asian American-related groups in business. USPAACC
promotes, nurtures and propels economic growth by opening doors to
contract, educational and professional opportunities for Asian
Americans and their business partners in corporate America, the
federal government, and the minority business community.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, USPAACC has a nationwide reach
through regional chapters in Southern California, Northern
California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Georgia and the National
Capital Area.
