SemperMax - FW: SBA Appoints Zacchea on Advisory Committee for Veterans Business Affairs

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One of our members, a wounded veteran, is being recognized! Congrats, Mike!

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CONNECTICUT – U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria-Contreras Sweet recently appointed Michael Zacchea as a member of the Advisory Committee on Veteran’s Business Affairs (ACVBA). This appointment is effective for a three-year term beginning June 1, 2015.

Michael Zacchea is currently Director for the UConn Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. The ACVBA serves as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to SBA’s Administrator, as well as Deputy Administrator, SBA’s Associate Administrator for Veteran’s Business Development, Congress, the President, and other U.S. policymakers on programs affecting veteran-owned small business. All members appointed serve in a representational capacity.

“With your valuable advice and support, SBA can continue to enhance the growth of veteran-owned small businesses and private enterprises,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. Connecticut’s District Director Bernard M. Sweeney says “Zacchea is the perfect person to represent the ACVBA for the state of Connecticut because he has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving those who have served,” added Sweeney.  Zacchea was named SBA’s Connecticut District Office Veteran Advocate Champion in 2012 during Small Business Week.

Mike Zacchea was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1990. He served as a forward observer and platoon commander, deploying to Somalia for Operation Restore Hope and to Haiti for Operation Support Democracy. In March 2004, as a major, he deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II. His team's mission was to build, train, and lead in combat the first Iraqi army battalion trained by the US military. During this time, the battalion participated in Operation Phantom Fury, the 2nd Battle of Fallujah. During the battle, Mike was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, but declined to be medically evacuated.

Mike's military awards include the Bronze Star Medal for Valor (with gold star in lieu of 2nd award), the Purple Heart Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, and numerous unit and campaign awards. Mike was also the first and at the time only American recognized by the Iraqi government by the Order of the Lion of Babylon. As a result of his wounds, Mike was medically retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He is currently the Program Director of the University of Connecticut Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, Mike has helped start 25 businesses get started since 2010. He is also involved in the creation of ConnectVets, Inc., a non-profit organization of veteran-owned businesses in the state of CT. He recently joined a multi-agency cross-disciplinary working group chaired by the Commissioner of the CT Department of Veterans Affairs to align veteran education, job-training, and workforce re-entry issues.

For more information about SBA programs, visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/ct, or contact the local SBA Veterans Affairs Officer, Frank Alvarado at (203) 335-0427.