Contreras picked for DOC

The Arizona Department of Commerce named Armando Contreras to replace Lydia Aranda as Arizona small business advocate and executive director.

CONTRERAS
PICKED FOR DOC

The Arizona Department of Commerce named Armando Contreras to replace Lydia Aranda as Arizona small business advocate and executive director of the governor’s council on small business.

Contreras comes to the state agency after serving as director of the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry. Aranda left the DOC to take a position with Wells Fargo Bank.

"Armando brings strong advocacy and partnership building skills to Commerce and the council," says Arizona Department of Commerce Director Gilbert Jimenez.

Small businesses account for 97 percent of all Arizona employers, according to the department. In 2005, Arizona saw the start-up of an estimated 12,421 new small firms with employees.

The Arizona Department of Commerce Small Business Services offers support and advocacy for small business development. The commerce agency collaborates with numerous business organizations to promote entrepreneurship among small, minority-, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises. The council’s goal is to encourage community development and education within the Latino community.

For more info on Small Business Services, visit www.azcommerce.com or call (602) 771-1198.



This article appears in the July 2006 issue of Latino Perspectives Magazine.

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