SBA names associate administrator of its entrepreneurial development office

Anoop Prakash has been named associate administrator for the Small Business Administration's Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED), the agency announced this week.

Prakash most recently was vice president of strategy and business development at LexisNexis Special Services in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for strategy, marketing and alliances for the company.

OED oversees SBA's resource partners who provide technical and special assistance to small business owners throughout the country. Programs and services within OED's network include Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, SCORE, Business Initiatives and the Small Business Training Network. Last year, 1.5 million people received counseling or training through SBA and its resource partners. The department is also responsible for much of the content within SBA's Web site, especially as it relates to starting and growing a business.

Prior to working at LexisNexis, Prakash held various senior positions in the private sector, including director of business development at Siebel Systems and as a management consultant for McKinsey and Co., where he focused on business-building and change management projects. Prakash was a captain in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Persian Gulf as the Air Combat Element intelligence officer with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.