Looking for the next class of leaders
FCW is accepting nominations for the 2014 Rising Star awards, and we need your help identifying the IT professionals in government and industry who are poised to take charge.
It's been a rough several months for the agency executive ranks as critical leaders leave for the private sector or announce plans to retire. David McClure and Casey Coleman from the General Services Administration. Elizabeth McGrath and Robert Carey from the Defense Department. Bernie Mazer from the Interior Department, Simon Szykman from Commerce, Danny Werfel from the Internal Revenue Service, Joe Jordan from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy ... the list goes on and on.
One could be forgiven for wondering what's happening to the senior tiers of federal IT when even the up-and-comers (former Veterans Affairs Central Office CIO Horace Blackman comes to mind) are heading for the exit.
In reality, of course, we have little reason to worry. It's true that government service is harder and in some ways less appealing than it once was, but the missions and the pull of patriotism still draw top talent. And there are plenty of next-generation leaders (in agencies and industry alike), if one only knows where to look.
And that is where you come in. FCW is accepting nominations for the 2014 Rising Star awards, and we need help identifying the IT professionals in government and industry who are poised to take charge.
What makes a Rising Star? In many ways, it's the same criteria used for the Federal 100 -- women and men whose leadership, innovation and all-around extra effort are having an impact that goes far beyond their job descriptions. Rising Stars, however, must also be early in their federal IT careers; age does not matter, but nominees must be less than 10 years into their work in this community. We are looking for individuals who not only have done great things in the past year but are likely to play an even larger role in the years to come.
So go to FCW.com/2014risingstars to learn more. Then let us know where to find the leaders of tomorrow -- and the rising stars of today.