The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Nov. 17 that Michael Barrera will be its next North Florida District Director, replacing Wilfredo Gonzalez who served in the position since 1996.
Barrera will oversee SBA programs and services across the 43-county North Florida district. He has already started in the role.
“The economic prosperity for entrepreneurs is critical for our local communities and our nation’s economy,” Barrera said in a news release. “I look forward to working with all of our resource partners in order to provide tools that will assist small businesses in Northern Florida start and grow their businesses and achieve their American dream.”
Gonzalez retired last year. Laketa Henderson served as the district’s acting director.
Barrera is an attorney, and has worked with the SBA and served as president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in his 30-year career.
He served as the SBA’s national ombudsman from 2001-05. In that time, he also worked as director of the SBA’s MatchMaking program. From 2017-18, Barrera served as internal Ombudsman for SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance employees, following hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida.
Barrera received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University.
The SBA North Florida District Office is at 7825 Baymeadows Way.
