Office of Advocacy Appoints Louis Luchini to Serve as Regional Advocate for New England States
Release no: 22-01 ADV
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of Advocacy in the U.S. Small Business Administration is pleased to announce that Louis Luchini has been appointed to serve as the Region 1 Advocate. As Advocate, Luchini will work on behalf of small businesses in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. He will be the direct link between the region’s small business owners, state and local government agencies, state legislators, small business associations, and the Office of Advocacy.
Luchini has served in the Maine legislature for over 10 years. He represented Hancock County, Maine as a state Senator since 2018, where he served as the Chairman on the Committee of Veteran and Legal Affairs and was a member of the Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement, and Business. Additionally, Luchini served as a Representative from 2010 to 2018, where he served as the Chairman of the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs and the House Ethics Committee and was a member of the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. As Representative, Luchini was named Legislator of the Year by the American Legion in 2017.
Luchini has completed extensive work in regulatory policy reform and job growth, especially related to the craft brewing and distilling industry. He also sponsored legislation providing venture capital to small, early-stage companies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Luchini collaborated with local Maine restaurants and entertainment venues to provide support for vulnerable small businesses. He also served as a Downeast COVID-19 Task Force Member, where he worked with a coalition of business community and medical experts to develop downeast Maine’s pandemic response.
“We are pleased to add Louis to the Office of Advocacy,” said Deputy Chief Counsel Major L. Clark, III. “His background advancing small business interests in local government, particularly in regulatory reform, has prepared him well for his new role as our Region 1 Advocate.”
Luchini stated, “I am honored to serve the small businesses in Region 1 and look forward to helping them grow and prosper, especially during these challenging times. New England’s small businesses deserve an advocate that will work with them to ensure their voices are heard in Washington, D.C.”
The Office of Advocacy has regional advocates in each of the 10 federal regions. This team identifies new issues and concerns of small business owners. They work closely with local government officials, state officials and legislators, and the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to develop programs and policies that support small business growth.
Louis Luchini will be working out of the SBA Maine District Office in Augusta, ME and can be reached at Louis.Luchini@sba.gov.
Contact Information:
Stephanie Fekete
Stephanie.Fekete@sba.gov