Claudia Pires Klaus

Claudia Pires Klaus, senior business financial planner with Pacific Advisors in San Diego, is the SBA’s Minority Small Business Person of the Year. A native of Brazil, Klaus immigrated to the United States to attend UCLA, working multiple part-time jobs to pay for her education. Pacific Advisors, which she launched eight years ago, provides comprehensive financial planning services on investments, retirement, estate planning, asset protection and charitable giving.

Klaus is active with several community organizations. She is a board member of the Women’s Business Center of California and is president of the San Diego chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Klaus also is president of her nonprofit organization, Americans for Children Foundation.

"Claudia has built her career and business step-by-step, the old-fashioned way, simply by hard work and tireless efforts," says Michelle Butler, president and CEO of the Women’s Business Center of California. "Her business has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years alone, and she has recently launched a greater initiative, going from an independent financial representative to partner in a small company to launching and growing her own business."