From the Office of Senator Kerry

Tuesday, April 9, 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator John F. Kerry, Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today announced that the nomination of Melanie Sabelhaus to serve as Deputy Administrator for the Small Business Administration has passed the Senate by way of unanimous consent.

"I look forward to working with Ms. Sabelhaus in growing America's small business economy - both new and old. I hope she will appreciating the diversity of this country's small businesses and respond to their changing needs. The SBA needs a strong advocate Administration who will help provide small businesses a real seat at the table, guaranteeing adequate and equal opportunity. It is my hope that Ms. Sabelhaus will stand beside us and help reverse the course of this Administration's troubling attempts to restrict access to capital, and that she will help Kit Bond and I provide responsible tax relief and ensure that the government's hand in business does not result in burdensome red tape that hinders economic growth."

Melanie Sabelhaus spent a successful 14 years with IBM from 1972 until 1986. During that time, she was made Southeast Regional Product Manager in 1981 where she aided in the launch of IBM's new consumer retail program. Within one year, her region became the leading region in the country.

In 1986, Sabelhaus left IBM to pursue a unique business opportunity by providing on-demand, temporary full-service housing the Baltimore/Washington area for business travelers. Mrs. Sabelhaus helped grow her real estate company, Exclusive Interim Properties, LTD., to over 650 properties before it merged with four similar firms creating what ultimately became an international publicly held company - Bridgestreet Accommodations.

Since Sabelhaus' resignation from Bridgestreet Accommodations as VP for Global Sales in 1998, she has turned her business acumen to the area of marketing and fund-raising for philanthropic activities. She has helped raise money for the United Way and the Nantucket Historical Association. She has also served on the boards of several other philanthropic organizations, as a board member, chair and co-chair.

Mrs. Sabelhaus is the recipient of the following awards and honors: Ohio University Outstanding Achievement in Business Award (1987) and the Association of Fund-raising Professionals Philanthropist and Volunteer of the Year Award for the state of Maryland (2001).

Ms. Sabelhaus was raised in Cleveland, Ohio and is currently a resident of Owings Mills, Maryland.