FCW Insider: Musical chairs: Suda to Volpe and a new Perot President

By Christopher J. Dorobek

| December 18, 2007

Suda is a long-time fed. He served as GSA Federal Technology Service's assistant commissioner for the Office of IT Solutions. Suda also managed the government-wide SmartBUY program providing software licensing through enterprise agreements. Previously, he served as the FTS CIO and, before that, was the Director of Finance for GSA and the agency's first Deputy Chief Financial Officer.On the industry side, Jim Ballard is leaving Perot Systems.Perot Systems has been a remarkable business story in this market, coming from almost nowhere to really be a player. People tell me that there are a number of people who are responsible for that, but certainly one of them is .Ballard will be , former Northrop Grumman VP, who joined .

There are a number of big changes going on right now.

One of the worst kept secrets in town, Robert Suda, currently the Agriculture Department's associate chief information officer for integration and operations, is leaving to head up the Transportation Department Research and Innovative Technology Administration's Volpe Center up in Cambridge, Mass., technically the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.

The center is part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration and is an innovative, federal, fee-for service organization. Our mission is to improve the Nation's transportation system. Our work is performed primarily for DOT, as well as other federal agencies and state, local, and international entities...

The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is an internationally recognized center of transportation and logistics expertise. Through research and development, engineering, and analysis, the Volpe Center helps decision-makers define problems and pursue solutions to lead transportation into the 21st century. In essence, the Volpe Center is a catalyst for innovation - a source of critical insight necessary to realize transportation's promising future.

Our work includes a broad mix of projects that cut across traditional transportation modes and technical disciplines. We are well known internationally for our transportation expertise, and our highly skilled staff of experts is respected for their comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the transportation system. The center has also successfully implemented several major programs such as the Federal Aviation Administration's Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) and Safety Performance Analysis System (SPAS), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's SafeStat Online.

The center assists federal, state, and local governments, industry, and academia in a number of areas, including human factors research, system design, implementation, and assessment, global tracking, strategic investment and resource allocation, environmental preservation, and organizational effectiveness. In these and other areas, the Center provides its customers with valued policy support and strategic planning and analysis.

Jim Ballard, president of Perot System's Government Services Group

The note he sent out this morning:

After more than ten years of association first with ADI Technology and then with Perot Systems Corporation, I have made the decision to step down as President, Perot Systems Government Services to pursue new career opportunities in the marketplace. I greatly admire the exceptional leadership and dedicated people in our industry and I hope that I have the chance to work with you again in the future. I will remain at Perot Systems for about the next 30 days to complete the transition.

replaced Lee Carrick Perot as a Sr. VP about two months ago

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