SEATTLE, Wash. – Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s more than 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, issued the following statement praising President Biden’s appointment of Beto Yarce as Regional Administrator of Region 10 of the SBA, overseeing the agency’s programs, offices, and operations in the Pacific Northwest serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
“I applaud President Biden’s appointment of Beto Yarce as Regional Administrator of Region 10 of the Small Business Administration and look forward to the positive impact he will have serving the people of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho,” said Administrator Guzman. “Beto’s decades of leadership focusing on small business access issues, especially for the underserved entrepreneurial immigrant communities, underscores his commitment to helping others fulfill their American dreams of business ownership. I am confident that Beto’s expertise and background will help the SBA advance President Biden’s economic agenda for America, growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”
Originally from Mexico, Yarce moved in 2003 to Seattle, Washington where he launched a business and became involved in the local entrepreneurial and immigrant services communities. He went on to lead Ventures, a nonprofit organization working to alleviate poverty through small business ownership.
“As an entrepreneur, immigrant, and former nonprofit leader, I have personally faced the challenges of navigating the system,” said Yarce. “I understand the struggles that small businesses go through, and I am eager to use my experience to support and build on the services provided by the SBA.”
Yarce has leveraged his 20 years of experience to help others realize their dreams of small business ownership as well as advancing economic equity and justice. He has served on the boards of directors and as a trustee of numerous organizations, including the Greater Seattle Business Association, Evergreen Business Capital and Cedarmere Foundation. He also served on Washington State’s LGBTQ+ Commission and collaborated with the Mexican Consulate in Seattle and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the federal government in Mexico. In 2016, he earned the District Excellence Award from the SBA’s Seattle District Office. Additionally, he was recognized with the 2019 Puget Sound Business Journal Business of Pride Award and in 2018 with the City of Seattle Emerging Leader of the Year and with the Crosscut Courage in Business awards.
“Representation matters and I am committed to ensuring that the voices of small business owners, especially those from diverse backgrounds, are heard and valued,” said Yarce. “Together, we can create a thriving small business community that uplifts and empowers entrepreneurs.”
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit sba.gov.