The U.S. Small Business Administration has designated Wayne Bell as acting regional administrator of SBA Region 7, a four-state area that includes Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.

Bell, a St. Louis native, has served as the SBA’s Wichita, Kan., district SBA director since 2008. He will continue with that role in addition to his regional administrator duties. Bell has more than 22 years of management experience in both the public and private sectors.

As acting regional administrator, Bell oversees regional delivery of SBA programs and services and regional coordination. The position includes responsibility for the district’s Small Business Development Centers, SCORE chapters, a Veteran’s Business Development Center and Women’s Business Centers.

SBA programs and services include the loan guaranty program, assistance in government contracting and exporting, and entrepreneurship training.

Prior to joining the SBA, Bell served as administrative officer for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the US Department of Homeland Security at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. He also held management positions at Raytheon Aircraft Company and Boeing Commercial Airplane Group as well as with private manufacturing firms in Hutchinson, Kan.

Bell was also the owner of a Wichita-based service firm.

Bell has been active in Wichita. He has served the community through his affiliations with Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Wichita Federal Executives Association, Wichita Children’s Home, Wichita State Alumni Association, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, W.G. Williams Community Scholarship Foundation, Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas (YEK), Real Men Real Heroes, Leadership Kansas and Leadership Wichita. He is also the 2010 Chair for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) of South Central Kansas.