Sacramentan named as California's new small business advocate

A former state Department of Consumer Affairs bureau chief and auto industry director has been tapped to become California's small business advocate, according to an announcement this week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office.

Marty Keller, 55, of Sacramento moves into the $99,000-a-year post on May 15. It's been vacant since November 2006 when Dennis Trinidad retired.

Keller was unavailable for comment Thursday.

The Office of Small Business Advocate, which operates through the governor's Office of Planning and Research, represents the state's small businesses before government entities with an emphasis on ensuring their competitiveness within the state's economy.

Keller is familiar with the Capitol, having served as executive director of the California Automotive Business Coalition since 2002. In addition, he was chief of the state Bureau of Automotive Repair from 1995 to 1999 and held other bureau posts within the state Dept. of Consumer Affairs. He's also worked in the private sector as president of Greenslip Inc., an automotive inspection service based in Sunnyvale.

"He understands how state government works and understands the private sector," said Scott Hauge, president of the San Francisco-based advocacy group Small Business California.