Michael Gross
This IT auditor at USPS helps monitor one of the largest computing infrastructures in the federal government.
Michael Gross is a fresh face in federal IT, but he's proven himself to be a quick study. As an IT auditor at the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General, he helps monitor one of the largest computing infrastructures in the federal government.
The job isn't just about targeting waste, fraud and abuse, Gross said. "I try to provide a lot of value-added services: making sure that projects are on track, on target and going to meet the needs of the Postal Service," he added. "We look for places where they can improve operations, generate more revenue and improve customer services."
Gross comes by his IT chops via the Marine Corps. During his four-year stint, including a year in Iraq, he specialized in telecommunications and then studied accounting at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
In his first months at USPS -- and while still earning his auditor certification -- he distilled the 600-page Federal Information System Controls Audit Manual into a database that allows users to drill down from top-level concepts to specific measures for evaluating risk and identifying weaknesses.
That resource is now shared throughout the IG's office and is used to help train new hires.