EPA CIO heads for private sector

Editor's note: This item was modified after its publication to add text from Jackson's email to colleagues and to update other information.

The man behind the Environmental Protection Agency's move to cloud-based email and centralized IT hardware procurement is heading back to the private sector.

EPA Chief Information Officer and Assistant Administrator in the Office of Environmental Information Malcolm Jackson is leaving the agency after three years of service for a job with an unnamed company, an EPA spokesperson confirmed.

Jackson was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2010. His last day will be July 7, according to an email Jackson sent to colleagues.

"I have enjoyed every moment at EPA immensely and have been so impressed by the passion that you have for your jobs and the agency’s mission," Jackson wrote in that email message. "We have made some great changes together to strengthen OEI and the technology direction of EPA. I hope that you will keep the momentum going and fill the technology gap while ensuring security and quality." 

Jackson's departure means EPA joins six other major agencies searching for a permanent CIO, including NASA, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security. It is not yet clear who will step in as EPA's acting CIO, because the agency does not have a permanent deputy CIO. Acting Deputy CIO Renee Wynn, a 21-year agency veteran, will step in as acting CIO.

At EPA, Jackson was responsible for IT operations and security, information quality and collection and access to environmental information. Prior to his three years at EPA, he served as the senior IT business unit director at CIGNA Group Insurance and at various other IT and engineering positions in the private sector.