Dawn Golik

Dawn Golik has been selected as the new US Small Business Administration director for the Fresno district, which covers 15 Central California and Central Coast counties — an area spanning 47,000 square miles.

She replaces Carlos G. Mendoza, who retired in November after 42 years in federal service, including 15 years as the Fresno SBA district director.

Golik has served as acting director in the interim.

“Fresno is California’s fifth largest city and with SBA support, its small businesses are contributing to the region’s economic development at a rapid rate,” said SBA Region IX Administrator Michael Vallante. “Dawn will provide the dedicated leadership SBA needs to support Central California’s continued growth through entrepreneurship development, small business expansion, and job creation.”

Golik has served as Fresno’s deputy district director since 2012, overseeing federal government contracting programs, counseling resources for small businesses and SBA’s loan programs, which provided a record $424 million in capital for Central California entrepreneurs in 2017.

A Fresno State graduate, Golik has held numerous leadership positions during her nearly 20-year federal government career. Previously the chief of public affairs for Veterans Administration’s Central California Healthcare System, she also served as a Community Builder Fellow for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she led housing and economic development initiatives across the San Joaquin Valley.