Spires lands CEO post

Former Department of Homeland Security CIO Richard Spires is taking his IT and leadership talents back to the private sector as CEO of San Francisco-based Resilient Network Systems.

Spires left DHS in May after nearly four years as its CIO, and previously spent four years at the Internal Revenue Service as its CIO and deputy commissioner.

Despite spending the past eight years in government, the private sector will be familiar territory for Spires, who will also serve on Resilient's board of directors. He served as senior vice president of technology solutions provider SRA International Inc., spending 17 years with the company before successfully raising funds to develop Mantas, a data analytics start-up. 

As Resilient Network Systems' CEO, Spires will oversee its Trust Network platform, which enables disparate organizational networks to securely share information.  An official announcement is expected on Dec. 13.

Spires is a well known figure in the federal IT community. He received FCW's Eagle Award for his transformative leadership in overseeing DHS' $6.4 billion IT portfolio, and has pocketed numerous other honors throughout his government service.

Spires' last few months at DHS were somewhat controversial. He resigned his position May 7 following a two-month leave of absence that was never publicly explained. Following his resignation, Spires consulted in the IT space, and currently writes a column for FCW.

He plans to remain in the D.C. area during 2014. Beyond that, Spires told FCW, he will relocate to San Francisco "if that is what is best for the company."