Manuel R. Gonzalez is the District Director for the 32 county Houston District of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).  He holds a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, School of Banking, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University.

Prior to joining the SBA, Mr. Gonzalez held several upper management positions with the private sector.  He was a national bank examiner with the Comptroller of the Currency, a bank liquidator with FDIC, a chief internal auditor with Laredo National Bank, a chief financial officer with International Bank of Commerce, and chief executive officer with Rancho Viejo National Bank. 

Mr. Gonzalez’s career at the SBA started as an underwriter for 16 years in the Denver District Office.  He later served as a Supervisory Loan Specialist at the Fresno Commercial Loan Servicing Center, as Assistant District Director of the Houston District Office, and acting District Director of the El Paso District Office.  In 2005, he was designated as the District Director of the Houston District Office. 

Mr. Gonzalez is responsible for directing the activities of the Houston District Office, including supervision of a minority small business portfolio comprised of over 100 firms in the 8(a) program, administration of the University of Houston Small Business Development Center and 15 sub-centers, and coordination of two chapters of SCORE, “Counselors to America's Small Business”, who provides entrepreneurs with free, confidential business counseling.

During his tenure at the SBA, Mr. Gonzalez founded the Houston Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, the El Paso Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, and the Houston Hispanic Coalition. 

In 2002, Mr. Gonzalez received the Henry B. Gonzalez Latino Leadership Award from Congressman Nick Lampson and Congressman Charlie Gonzalez.  In 2003, he received the Willie Velasquez Hispanic Excellence Award from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.