New Acting Director and Deputy District Director Start in June
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Alaska District Office announces several changes to its local leadership.
Effective this month, John D. Veal, Jr. is the acting district director
Nancy Porzio, who has served as the district director for the SBA Alaska District for the past three and half years as part of her 33–year career with the agency, is retiring this month.
“This is one of the smoothest and strongest leadership transitions I’ve seen. Nancy, John, and Jeff have been able to spend this month working together to ensure a smooth transition and stable delivery of SBA programs and services to Alaska entrepreneurs and small businesses, during extraordinary circumstances no less,” SBA Pacific Northwest Regional Administrator Jeremy Field said. “I have full confidence in their leadership and the expertise of our entire Alaska staff.”
About SBA Alaska Acting District Director John D. Veal, Jr.
Prior to coming to Anchorage to serve in the role of acting district director, Veal served as the deputy district director for the SBA Oklahoma District. He similarly served as acting district director for the SBA Illinois District in 2018. His other roles in the agency include supervisory
Prior to coming to the SBA, Veal’s career focused on government contracting and empowering small business. While working at the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – an SBA-funded partner in the SBA Resource Partner Network – Veal was recognized as the SBA Region VI Veterans’ Small Business Champion of the Year. SBA Region VI – also known as the SBA South Central Region – serves Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Veal holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Accounting from Oklahoma City University, is a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) from the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC), and holds the Level I Contracting Certification from the Federal Acquisition Institute.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Veal served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He retired in 1995 at the rank of first sergeant, having served for more than 23 years.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to support the Alaska small businesses in this capacity,” Veal said. “I am looking forward to working with the Alaska District Office team and paving a path for our business owners during these difficult times.”
About SBA Alaska Deputy District Director Jeff Salzer
Salzer comes to the SBA Alaska District from the SBA Arkansas District where he served as senior area manager for several years. Prior to that, he was a business opportunity specialist then economic development specialist in the SBA Oklahoma District.
Before coming to the SBA, Salzer owned and operated an international consulting firm for small to medium-size enterprises. He also has a marketing and public relations background which he applied in the telecom industry.
He is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the mid–90s. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in international business from St. Bonaventure University. He also has a Master of Business Administration
Salzer views his new position with the SBA Alaska District as a return to the Last Frontier since he graduated high school and attended college in Fairbanks before joining the Army.
“I’m excited to return to Alaska and have the opportunity to work with entrepreneurs across the state,” Salzer said. “The Alaska District Office has an experienced team that is committed to assisting small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Last Frontier.”