Business Journal artivle by Kent Hoover

President Bush has selected Sandy Baruah, who now heads the Economic Development Administration, to lead the Small Business Administration.

EDA is a Department of Commerce agency that invested $277 million in economic development projects across the country in fiscal 2007. Besides leading EDA, Baruah served as the Commerce Department's senior representative to a task force that examined the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina and recommended improvements on how to handle future disasters.

If confirmed by the Senate, Baruah will succeed Steve Preston, who left the SBA to become secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Jovita Carranza has been serving as acting SBA administrator since Preston's departure June 5.

Sen. John Kerry, who chairs the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, said the panel will review "Baruah's record carefully to make sure that he is the right person for the job."

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