Steven C. Preston was sworn in as the 22nd administrator of the Small Business Administration, taking the reins of an agency that drew sharp criticism for its sluggish response to last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes.
The former executive vice president of ServiceMaster Co. and senior vice president of First Data Corp. was sworn in Monday after receiving Senate confirmation June 29.
"I am grateful to President Bush for the opportunity to serve in a way that so directly affects the lives of so many Americans," Mr. Preston said in a press release.
He succeeded Hector V. Barreto, who announced in April that he was resigning to become the chairman of the Latino Coalition, a Hispanic advocacy group in Washington. Mr. Barreto had been the agency's administrator since July 2001.
