by Dan Perkins

Source: SBA Release 

On Thursday, September 7, 2006, President George W. Bush announced that he intends to nominate Jovita Carranza as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) deputy administrator. Carranza, who is widely recognized as one of the top Latina professionals in the country, was named Hispanic Woman of the Year in 2004 by Hispanic Business magazine.

Carranza earned her MBA from the University of Miami, in Florida, and brings considerable real world experience to the agency.  She is a 30-year veteran of UPS, and most recently held the position of vice president of air operations at the worldwide package shipping company.  There, Carranza oversaw air operations and the automated package processing operation at the company's Louisville, Kentucky facility.

Throughout her career, Carranza has developed a deep appreciation for the demands of small businesses, which make up one of the largest customer bases for the company. During her tenure with UPS, Carranza was actively involved in initiatives to help small businesses compete in the global marketplace.

Working at UPS also afforded Carranza the opportunity to cultivate a global perspective.  She served as the company's president of Latin American Operations and the Caribbean. 

Carranza, a native of Chicago, has extensive experience in human resources management and work force planning.  Shehas also  been actively involved in community service, both in leadership and advisory capacities.

SBA Administrator Steven C. Preston said that Carranza’s combination of insight and business skills will be of tremendous value to the agency as it strives to create a higher degree of customer responsiveness and operational sophistication.

“As part of the new leadership team at SBA, Jovita and I will work together to take the agency to the next level,” said Preston in an SBA release.

The End