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.