George S. May Business Blog

If Geithner can’t get us back on track, maybe Vivek Kundra can

President Barack Obama today appointed D.C.’s Chief Technology Officer Vivek Kundra to the new administrative position of federal chief information officer.

As the nation’s CIO, Vivek Kundra will direct the policy and strategic planning of federal information technology investments. Other major objectives announced will be improving cost-effectiveness and interoperability of tech across government agencies, developing security measures, and focusing in on the efficiency of government operations through the use of technology.

Obama, in a statement, described Vivek Kundra as someone who could bring a “depth of experience” when it comes to tech. He added that Vivek Kundra would also be well suited to focus in on “lowering the cost of government operations”.  

“As chief information officer, [Vivek Kundra] will play a key role in making sure our government is running in the most secure, open, and efficient way possible” said Obama.

Obama is yet to name a chief technology officer, however, it is expected that when that happens Vivek Kundra will work closely with the CTO to push our president’s tech-agenda.

So what makes Vivek Kundra qualified?

A few notable achievements for Vivek Kundra:

In late March of 2007, Kundra was appointed the District of Columbia’s CTO by Mayor Adrian Fenty. In turn, Vivek Kundra was responsible for putting the city’s telecommunications and IT infrastructure.  (D.C. has a number of tech-based programs, which streamline government procurement and make citywide data more transparent and accessible to citizens, that are widely regarded of as ahead of the curve).

Before serving in the District, Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine named Vivek Kundra assistant secretary of commerce and technology, the first dual cabinet role in the state’s history.

In the private sector, Vivek Kundra was vice president of marketing for Evincible Software, a company focused on electronic signatures and identity management for the financial services and defense sectors. Vivek Kundra was also chief executive officer of Creostar, where he advised government and industry clients on IT governance and strategy.

Where the US is positioned in the race for cutting edge technology will likely govern the overall future of our country. Yes, it much more dynamic that just that, but, the older our nation grows the more we see tech factor in. Industries across the board thrive, and basically rely on, new developments in technology: medicine, auto, law enforcement, the list is endless. So, by assigning a position within the government that is solely focused on the development of all-things-tech is, in effect, a position whose virtues will touch nearly every single person’s life in this country.

I can already hear the nay-sayers: First the banks, then health-care, now we are going to nationalize the tech industry?

The CTO and CIO will not govern tech companies in the United States. Companies will not be reporting to the CTO for audits. At least not at this point. However, if someone like Vivek Kundra is able to develop ways to streamline the transfer of data in a more cost-efficient manner, I guarantee that companies, communities, and even countries will be quick to try to reap the benefits. All in all, this position is dedicated to saving Americans money. I see no problem Vivek Kundra being that man.

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