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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Contreras-Sweet, Maria (b. 1955)

Maria Contreras-Sweet became the 24th administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2014. Appointed by President Barack Obama, she left in 2017.

She explained that “From my very first days in office, I have prioritized the need to modernize SBA operations to respond to the technological, demographic, and globalization changes that are transforming our small business economy.” She continued: “Our efforts to modernize the agency have also driven updates to our lending partner platforms by bringing advances such as automation, digital signatures, and online matchmaking to the entrepreneurs we serve. These time-saving and cost-saving technologies have encouraged community bankers, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and credit unions across the country to adopt or increase SBA lending.”

From 1999 to 2003, she was the Cabinet Secretary of California’s Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Contreras-Sweet earned her BA degree at California State University, Los Angeles in 1979.

References: Statement of SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet at U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Hearing, https://www.sba.gov/content/statement-sba-administrator-maria-contreras-sweet-us-senate-committee-small-business-0 (accessed May 26, 2019);

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"Contreras-Sweet, Maria (b. 1955)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0226.
APA 7th
Contreras-Sweet, Maria (b. 1955). From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0226.
CMOS 17th
"Contreras-Sweet, Maria (b. 1955)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0226.