Feb. 21--The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Tuesday the appointment of Pamela Sapia as permanent district director of the San Antonio district office.

Sapia took over as acting director when the previous director, Tony Alvarez, resigned in July.

The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce had expressed frustration with how long it took to name a director. But the chamber's point man on the selection, Joe Perez, said he was encouraged that it went to someone based in San Antonio who knows the city and is already familiar with the chamber's aims.

"I know she wasn't the person we lobbied for," he said. "But now that we have somebody, we're delighted." He didn't elaborate about whom the chamber had backed for the job.

SBA Administrator Steven Preston said Sapia has more than two decades of experience working with the small-business community as a member of the agency.

"That tremendous experience gives her unique qualifications to provide the quality of leadership the San Antonio business community expects from an SBA district director," Preston said in a prepared statement.

Sapia said she was eager to begin developing relationships and visiting community leaders again to support the area's entrepreneurs.

Sapia's experience with the SBA includes minority business development, loan processing, liquidation and economic development/marketing.