Maria Contreras-Sweet

Maria Contreras-Sweet
24th Administrator of the Small Business Administration
In office April 7, 2014 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Karen Mills
Succeeded by	Linda McMahon
California Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
In office January 4, 1999 – November 17, 2003
Governor	Gray Davis
Preceded by	Dean Dunphy
Succeeded by	Sunny McPeak
Personal details
Born	1955 (age 68–69) Guadalajara, Mexico
Political party	Democratic[citation needed]
Education	San Antonio College California State University, Los Angeles (BA)

Maria Contreras-Sweet (born 1955) is an American businesswoman and former government official who served as the 24th Administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2014 to 2017. She was the executive chairwoman and founder of ProAmérica Bank, a commercial bank focusing on small to mid-sized businesses with a specialty in the Latino community. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Contreras-Sweet immigrated to Los Angeles, California and has since been involved in both the private sector founding a private equity firm and in public service as the California Secretary of Business, Transportation, and Housing under Governor Gray Davis.

On January 15, 2014, she was nominated by President Barack Obama to join his Cabinet as head of the Small Business Administration. She was confirmed as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration by voice vote on March 27, 2014. She assumed that role on April 7, 2014.