At the same time, echoing Hunt Imaging CFO Stanek, Holman says he's concerned that if the agencies merge, the SBA could be overshadowed by what's currently the Commerce Department, which he views as having a big-business perspective.

Particularly worrying is the potential fate of the SBA's office of advocacy, says Kevan Chapman, spokesperson with the . The office acts as an ombudsman for small businesses, letting other agencies know the likely impact of government regulations on smaller ventures, he says. "We don't want to see the office of advocacy compromised in any way," Chapman adds.

To that end, the president's January announcement that he was , Karen Mills, to a cabinet level position is viewed as a step in the right direction. "There are some positives to having a seat at the table," Hunt Imaging CFO Stanek says.

However, the move could be temporary. In a January session with reporters at the White House, Jeff Zients, deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, that if the six agencies become one, the head of that agency would be a Cabinet member.