Letter: A fearless, qualified Doan worked for change

Regarding "Balutis: Finding a new administrator": I second the motion that Tom Davis would make a great [General Services Administration] administrator, and [I] agree with your your list of requirements for the next GSA administrator.  But it is becoming increasingly clear that [Lurita] Doan did possess all of those recommended traits.

Despite the bruising battles with Grassley and Waxman, she actually did work closely with Congress and some of her strongest supporters were Democrats like Filner, Reyes and Shumer, who witnessed first hand her efforts to push GSA to be more efficient.  Doan was also quite fearless in pushing change, maybe even too bold.  What Doan lacked was support by the president and [Office of Management and Budget] and that is the most important job requirement.  If the president is not interested in procurement policy (Doan's first meeting in the White House after two years of service was when she got fired) there is not much a GSA administrator can do.

Paul Groth

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