Spotila takes IT leadership to industry

OMB Information and Regulatory Policy

John Spotila sees a good link between his accomplishments as a lead official at the Office of Management and Budget and his new position as chief operating officer at GTSI Corp.

Spotila left OMB this week after serving as administrator of OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for almost two years, overseeing many of the Clinton administration's information technology management initiatives.

He headed matters related to fixing the Year 2000 problem and implementing the Government Paperwork Elimination Act. These issues led to other IT concerns, such as security and privacy on the Internet.

That's where companies like GTSI come in, Spotila said, because they can play a role in providing solutions that help agencies address such problems.

"I think there is a significant opportunity here for the company to grow and develop, and I think there is a good tie-in with what I had been doing in the White House," Spotila said in an interview today.

GTSI has served the federal market as a reseller of IT products since 1983. In recent years, the company has been moving to offer services and provide complete solutions to specific government customers.

Spotila believes he can advance that strategy by helping GTSI better understand agencies' goals and regulations.

"I liked that GTSI has become more than just a reseller," he said. "I liked the idea of getting into a company that was going to add that strong product component in the context of providing solutions."