Walter Perry was appointed as the senior representative for the SBA in Tennessee on January 17, 2010. With a staff of 12 based in Nashville and Memphis, Perry leads the Tennessee District in facilitating loans to small businesses through lending institutions, advocating federal government contracting opportunities for small businesses and working with local communities in all 95 Tennessee counties on entrepreneurial development and growth opportunities.

Perry brings to the position 20 years of federal experience, most recently serving in East Tennessee for the past 15 years at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge complex. During this time, held the positions of Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations Manager, where he was responsible for advocating science, environmental management and national security mission activities to the public, media and elected officials for a federal operation employing over 13,000 people with an annual budget of over $3 billion.

Prior to this assignment, Perry served at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Washington, DC in the Office of Space Flight supporting the Space Station and Space Shuttle Programs. He began his federal service upon appointment as a Presidential Management Intern in 1990 with assignments at NASA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Perry holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin. While operating a small business, he also earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree, both from North Carolina State University. He also holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree from Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee.