I'm picking up very strong signals that the White House has started to vet Teri Takai, who has served as the California's chief information officer for the past two years, as the next CIO of the Defense Department.
I asked Bill Maile, Takai's spokesman, on Tuesday if Takai cared to make a comment for this item. On Wednesday, Maile referred me to the White House, an indication she is in the running for a top level job. The White House has not returned my calls yet, but I know they're real busy there.
Industry folks I have talked to said that Takai, who also served as the director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology from 2003 to 2007, tell me she is the front runner for the Defense CIO post, which has been open since John Grimes retired in April 2009.
If Takai gets the nod, she would be the first woman Defense CIO and the first without any experience in the military.
But she has a good background in logistics, running General Motors' global supply chain for EDS earlier this decade. Warren Suss, founder of Suss Consulting, told me that Defense really could use help in reforming its logistics IT systems.
Dan Lohrmann, Michigan's chief technology officer, told me he believed Takai could do a great job at Defense. You can get more of his insights in this blog post.
COMMENTS
Based upon Teri's actual accomplishments in California, DOD's loss will be California's gain. The sooner her publicity-seeking focus is removed from California, the sooner true IT governing can be developed. She had plenty of opportunity and legislative backing to initiate reform, but for two years to focus on websites, blogs, and tweets. However, just this week she proferred through the Governor's office an Executive Order with sweeping infrastructure changes, that simply cannot be accomplished within the timeframes ordered. But then, she'll be gone by the time of the first target date...how convenient. Heaven help our national defense systems!!!
Leslie 02/11/10 06:24 pm ET
Teri is the perfect leader for OSD NII having witnessed her leadership skills within the NASCIO. Not coming from within DoD gives the department a unique perspective and ability to usher in real world best practices as required by the Clinger Cohen Act. It will also give Dr. Ash Carter a partner in meeting the NDAA Sec 804 requirement to establish a separate IT Acquisition process as she will not be held hostage by the status quo.
DoD has struggled in its past IT Acquisition Reform attempts in terms of culture, special interest and an old boy network. Teri joins other very tech savvy leaders Obama has brought in, who together may just be able to accomplish the kind of reforms that others only dreamed of.
John Weiler 02/04/10 06:22 am ET