WASHINGTON – Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., made the following remarks after the Senate confirmed Dr. Winslow Lorenzo Sargeant to be the Small Business Administration’s Chief Counsel for the Office of Advocacy. Last month, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship reported out favorably the nomination of Dr. Sargeant with 17 members voting in favor and two voting against.

“For more than a year, Dr. Sargeant has been fulfilling the duties of Chief Counsel and has proven time and time again to be an invaluable asset for the small business community,” Sen. Landrieu said. “While I am pleased he finally received confirmation, it serves as a reminder that the nomination of a well-qualified nominee was needlessly delayed for two years. I thank the members of the committee, particularly the new members, for keeping an open mind and finding out for themselves why Dr. Sargeant is a good advocate for small businesses and how he can help reduce the burdens they face every day. ”

Dr. Sargeant is currently serving as the Chief Counsel for the Office of Advocacy through a recess appointment made in August of 2010. He was nominated for this post on May 22, 2009. During his time in the position, he has gained the approval of key trade organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to this, he served as Managing Director of Venture Investors, a Midwest venture capital company with a concentration on starting up healthcare and technology companies. Previously, he co-founded Aanetcom, a technology company now owned by PMC Sierra (a publicly-owned company) and served as a program manager for the Small Business Innovation Research program in electronics at the National Science Foundation.