Maria Contreras-Sweet

Maria Contreras-Sweet, Director

Ms. Contreras-Sweet has served as a director of Regional since January 2018. She is the Managing Partner of Rockway Equity Partners, LLC and Contreras Sweet Companies, LLC. She previously served as a member of President Obama’s cabinet as the 24th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from April 2014 to January 2017. She was a founder of ProAmerica Bank, where she served as Executive Chairwoman from 2006 to 2014, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fortius Holdings from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, Ms. Contreras-Sweet served as the California Cabinet Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency from 1999 to 2003. Earlier in her career, she was a senior executive with Westinghouse Electric Company’s 7-Up/RC Bottling Company. Ms. Contreras-Sweet is a director of Sempra Energy, a publicly traded energy services company that invests in, develops, and operates energy infrastructure and provides electric and gas services. She is also a director of TriNet Group, Inc., a publicly traded professional employer organization, as well as Zions Bancorporation, N.A., a publicly traded bank. Ms. Contreras-Sweet is a Distinguished Fellow of the LARTA Institute and serves on the Board of Directors of the Bipartisan Policy Center. She has been bestowed with honorary doctorates from Tufts University, Whittier College, Mount Saint Mary’s University, California State University, Los Angeles, and La Verne University.