Dilawar Syed, special representative for commercial and business affairs at the State Department since February 2022, was confirmed by the Senate in a 54-42 vote Thursday to serve as deputy administrator at the Small Business Administration.

SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman described her incoming deputy an “accomplished entrepreneurial leader” who could help the agency accelerate the expansion of capital access and assistance programs for smaller companies.

President Joe Biden nominated Syed to the position in March 2021, when the nominee was still serving as CEO of health care technology company Lumiata.

Politico reports his nomination stalled in the prior Congress and moved forward earlier this year through a Senate Small Business Committee vote.

Syed will become the U.S. government’s highest-ranking Muslim official once he takes office. His public sector career includes time as founding chair of an entrepreneurship task force in the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and chairman of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ economic growth committee.

The Pakistani-born entrepreneur also led internet media company Yonja as CEO and customer engagement software provider Freshworks as president.

Polly Trottenberg, deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation, has been appointed to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration on an interim basis.

Trottenberg will take over from acting FAA administrator Billy Nolen, who announced in April that he would step down from the role after more than a year of leading the agency, DOT said Thursday.

“I am grateful to Billy for his service during one of the most challenging and dynamic times in aviation, and I have full confidence in Polly’s steady hand during the search for a permanent administrator,” said DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

President Biden also intends to appoint Katie Thomson, chief of staff at FAA, as deputy administrator. She will be replaced by Keith Washington, deputy assistant secretary for administration at DOT, as acting chief of staff.

Meanwhile, Deputy FAA Administrator Bradley Mims will lead the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at DOT and Tyra Redus will serve as the office’s permanent deputy director.

Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz has been chosen to serve as the 20th sergeant major of the U.S. Marine Corps, succeeding Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who has held the position since 2019.

The transition will go into effect during a relief and appointment ceremony scheduled for Aug. 8, in which Black will pass the torch to Ruiz, the Marine Corps announced on Friday.

Currently, Ruiz is the command senior enlisted leader for USMC Forces Reserve and USMC Forces South. As sergeant major, he will serve as the commandant of the Marine Corps’ highest-level enlisted advisor with a protocol equivalence of a three-star general officer.

Ruiz’s time with the USMC began in 1993, and his recruit training was completed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. In his early days with the service branch, Ruiz was a warehouse clerk with the 3rd Supply Battalion’s 3rd Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, Japan. Later, he served as an enlisted leader across the USMC in the 1st Service Support Group, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and 4th Marine Logistics Group.

His deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as well as operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Created in 1957, the sergeant major role represents the senior enlisted advisor to the commandant of the USMC. The position was the first of its kind within the military services. Typically, the sergeant major serves for four years, but the length of the term is determined by the commandant.