CIO changes jobs to enact SSA vision
- By Judi Hasson
- Oct 11, 2000
John Dyer, who helped the Social Security Administration move dramatically
into the Electronic Age, has stepped down as the agency's CIO to become
senior adviser to SSA commissioner Ken Apfel.
One of Dyer's primary jobs will be coordinating the implementation of
SSA's 2010 Service Vision, which has just been rolled out. The strategic
plan sets the agency's priorities for customer service into the next decade.
Dyer was not available for comment. William Halter, deputy commissioner
for electronic services, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that Dyer
"is no longer our CIO."
While the agency searches for a permanent replacement, Halter named
Marsha Rydstrom, who has worked for SSA operations, as acting CIO last week.
Dyer was one of three senior information officers on the Electronic
Government Committee, created by the CIO Council to work on projects ranging
from the government's use of smart cards to enabling the use of public and
private keys for Internet security.
He has always received high marks for his work in pushing the SSA to
the cutting edge of e-government.
"He was instrumental in many, if not most of the successes, including
modernization of computer systems, upgrading of fiscal systems and a myriad
of other issues," said one industry source.
Dyer is only the latest mover at SSA. Apfel, his boss, announced last
week that he will be leaving his cabinet-level position at the end of his
term in 01/2001 to join the faculty of the Lyndon B. Johnson School
of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Apfel was the first
confirmed commissioner since SSA became an independent agency in 1995.