Masiello named to head Defense Contract Management Agency

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced April 1 that President Barack Obama has nominated Air Force Maj. Gen. Wendy Masiello to be director of the Defense Contract Management Agency. Charlie Williams was director of DCMA until late 2013; Deputy Director James Russell has been running the agency on an acting basis since then.

If confirmed by the Senate, Masiello would also be promoted to lieutenant general. 

Masiello currently serves as the Air Force's deputy assistant secretary for contracting -- a role in which she has pushed the Air Force to be an early adopter of the General Services Administration's OASIS contracting vehicle, and warned publicly of the risks posed by agencies' shortage of experienced contracting personnel. In 2011, she won a Federal 100 award for her work as the Air Force's program executive officer for combat and mission support.

No replacement has yet been named for Masiello's current job of Air Force deputy assistant secretary for contracting.