Biography
Elton “Mick” Ringsak Region VIII Administrator
U.S SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 721 19th Street, Suite 400 Denver, Colorado 80202 (303) 844-0505/FAX (303) 844-0506
Elton “Mick” Ringsak was appointed the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Region VIII Administrator on October 15, 2001. He is responsible for the delivery of SBA’s financial, business development and counseling, and technical assistance programs in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Mick is a co-owner of Miller’s Boots and Shoes – a small business located in Butte, Montana. He and his brother-in-law, Dan McElroy, purchased the store in 1981. Under their direction, Miller’s Boots and Shoes has become one of the largest independent shoe stores in Montana. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Mick served as an Engineer Officer/Company Commander. Mr. Ringsak received numerous awards and commendations, including the Bronze Star, Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 5 Stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and was knighted by the Government of Tunisia for Disaster Relief Work in 1971. . Following his tour in Vietnam, Mick continued in his career as an Army Engineer Officer - ultimately attaining the rank of Major - serving in several assignments until his release from the U.S. Army reserve in 1985. Mr. Ringsak has been involved in politics at various levels since leaving the military. He has worked on the campaigns of U.S. Senator Conrad Burns from Montana, and former Montana Governor Marc Racicot. He was also an active participant in the 2000 presidential race working with the Bush/Cheney strategy group in Austin, Texas. He was also active in the 2004 G.O.T.V. Team and 96 Hour Victory Team. Since 1989, he has been an active member of the SBA’s Montana District Office State Advisory Board, and has worked with various groups in coordinating small business events throughout Montana. The SBA's Region VIII Office serves as the SBA Administrator's eyes and ears in the local small business community. Mick Ringsak actively works with the six district offices in his region, their numerous resource partners, national and local advisory councils, as well as Federal, State and Local leaders to accomplish agency goals and initiatives and to foster economic development in the region. The regional office ensures that SBA products and services are delivered in a cohesive and consistent manner throughout the six-state area. Region Eight is the most rural region in the nation. With 27 separate tribal nations, and over 500,000 square miles of territory within its boundaries, this region is as diverse as any in the nation. SBA’s Region VIII office, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, has 65 permanent employees in seven offices, with a loan portfolio of over 3,500 loans valued at nearly one $1.0 billion. Management counseling and training for the region’s small businesses are provided by 25 chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) -- a volunteer organization that provides free business counseling, seven Women’s Business Centers, and 61 Small Business Development Centers. Mick currently lives in Centennial, Colorado, with his wife Claire. They have three sons, Quint, who works for QWEST in Denver, CO, Justin, is a Technical Writer in San Francisco, C– and also plays part-time in a blues band, and Zach, an Undergraduate Student at University of Montana, Missoula.