Federal 100: John B. Owens II
Name: John B. Owens II
Title: CIO, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Agency: Department of Commerce
Turnaround artist. Owens, a former software engineer and technical director, has become a master technology and business strategist at an agency once viewed as behind the times in terms of IT. In 2013, USPTO continued its transition to a near-paperless operation -- the result of a five-year, $200 million plan Owens put together when he joined USPTO in 2008. CIOs are often known to have short tenures and typically only take on one or two large-scale projects. Owens took on nine and delivered. As a result, USPTO is now considered an innovator in government.