Longtime N.H. SBA officials to retire

The two top U.S. Small Business Administration officials in New Hampshire will be leaving the agency at the end of the year.Witmer Jones, director of the Concord office, and Alice Zachos, assistant district director, have announced that they will be leaving their posts on Dec. 31.A third longtime SBA employee, Clair Rousseau — administrative officer and business development specialist — is also leaving the agency on Dec. 31.”I started with the SBA in Washington as an intern in 1972,” said Jones. “I had the opportunity to transfer to New Hampshire in 1973 and haven’t looked back since.”Nearing retirement age, Jones said he and his wife Eileen, a school nurse, “crunched the numbers” and decided now was a good time to move on.”I have a son in Utah and a daughter in Florida; we have family and friends all over the country and thought now was the right time to do this,” said Jones.As of now, he as no definite plans for a second career, but instead will focus on traveling as the school calendar allows.”It’s time,” he said. “I love this job, but I’ve spent much too much time in it.”Zachos, originally from Florida, has been with the New Hampshire office of the SBA for nearly 30 years.She, too, is leaving her post to spend more time with family.”I’m moving back home to Florida — my son lives there,” she said.Zachos also has left her future plans open. “I have a background in real estate, but I might not want to do anything like this job,” she said.Marilyn Bogue, lender relations specialist at the Rhode Island SBA office in Providence and representative to its women’s business center, has been tapped to cover both posts until permanent employees are found.According to Jones, the search for filling certain government positions cannot begin until the spot is vacated. Typically the director’s position would be filled temporarily by the assistant director – but Zachos is departing at the same time as Jones, so the acting director position will oversee both of their jobs.”New Hampshire is extremely lucky to have somebody on board with an all-around knowledge of both loans and disaster programs,” said Zachos of Bogue. – CINDY KIBBE/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW