As the first SBA district director in Delaware, Armstrong built the Delaware office from its inception to its current staff of eight SBA employees specializing in contracting, economic development, exporting, lending, minority, women and veteran owned small businesses and public affairs, government contracting programs and counseling and training through SBA resource partners like SCORE, the Small Business Technology Development Center and the establishment of the Delaware Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship (in partnership with YWCA of Delaware).

“I am pleased that Tony will lead the Delaware District Office, continuing the strong programs that flourished during Jayne Armstrong’s tenure,” said Acting Regional Administrator Bridget Bean. “His leadership skills and experience, combined with the talented staff in the Delaware District Office, will lead to great results for Delaware’s small business community.”

“I am excited to be coming to Delaware and to have an opportunity to build on the great work that Jayne Armstrong did here. I look forward to working with our District Office staff, resource partners, and others to provide small businesses in Delaware with opportunities for access to capital, federal contracts, and business counseling ” Leta said.

Leta joined SBA’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program in April 2009 and has held headquarters positions working with 68 District Offices across the country including Acting Deputy Associate Administrator of Government Contracting. Leta joined SBA with an extensive private sector background in marketing, sales, and general management. Early in his career, he worked with Kraft/General Foods in Southern California in various capacities in marketing and sales. He later returned to the Northeast to run George Weston Bakeries’ $50 Million Upstate New York division, becoming Vice President of Sales at Weston’s Philadelphia area corporate office and then Vice President/General Manager for Weston’s $750 Million bread division with 10 manufacturing facilities and more than 3,000 employees. Leaving Weston in 2006, he operated a consulting business providing solutions for sales, distribution and merchandising challenges in small to midsize manufacturing firms. Leta holds a BS in marketing from Syracuse University and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

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The SBA‘s mission is to maintain and strengthen the nation’s economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small businesses and by providing loan guarantees through private sector lenders to help qualified small businesses secure financing on reasonable terms. It offers counseling and training through its resource partners: the Small Business Technology and Development Center, SCORE, and the YWCA Delaware Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship. Additionally, SBA provides assistance with contracting, surety bonding, and disaster recovery. For more information about these and other SBA programs, visit at www.sba.gov, or call Jim Provo (302) 573-6294.