The U.S. Small Business Administration is pleased to announce Karen Friel has been named the new District Director for SBA’s West Virginia District Office.
Friel has been employed by the agency for the past seven years. During her tenure she has held multiple positions including Administrative Officer, Business Development Specialist, Lead Business Development Specialist, and most recently Deputy District Director and Acting District Director.
As SBA’s new District Director, Friel is responsible for the delivery and leadership of SBA’s financial and business development programs throughout the state of West Virginia.
“We’re excited about the continuity of having an experienced professional like Karen take the reins of our West Virginia District,” said SBA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Natalia Olson-Urtecho, who oversees West Virginia, in addition to Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. “Karen has served the entrepreneurs of the Mountain State well over the years, and I am confident she will continue to do so for years to come.”
Friel is a West Virginia native, growing up on the slopes at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. She attended Fairmont State University and has multiple degrees in marketing, management, and business administration. Prior to joining the SBA, Friel was a commercial loan processor for ten years with multiple banking institutions in West Virginia.
“I am very humbled and honored to have been chosen for this prestigious position,” states Friel. “My passion to help small businesses came from working at Snowshoe Resort as a teenager and seeing the struggles small business owners have on a daily basis.”
“I look forward to delivering the agencies mission to make SBA Smart, Bold, and Accessible in West Virginia,” states Friel. “This is where I was born, where I grew up, and where I choose to raise my family. I want to make West Virginia a better place by serving the backbone of our economy – our small businesses!”
