UNIT: Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems
POSITION: Portfolio Manager, Enterprise Management Systems
AAC MEMBER SINCE: 2002
TOTAL YEARS OF ARMY SERVICE: 36: 1975-1999, active duty; 2002-present, civilian.
AWARDS: Meritorious Service Award (5); Civilian Superior Service Award; Federal Computer Week’s Fed 100 Award
EDUCATION: B.S. in psychology, Park University; MBA, Strayer University. Graduate of George Washington University’s Contracting Program; Level III certified in acquisition program management.
What do you do and why is it important to the warfighter?
Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) is the Army’s enterprisewide technical leader for business information systems, providing Soldiers with the decisive edge through information dominance. Within that framework, and supporting that mission, I have held a variety of leadership roles at the program manager (PM) level as well as PEO EIS headquarters, including program integration officer and director of operations. I was appointed assistant program executive officer in October 2011 and portfolio manager in February 2013.
In my current role, I oversee the development, integration and full program implementation of 12 critical enterprise management systems supporting business and warfighting systems for Soldiers worldwide. Under my management, the Project Director Enterprise Services and its subordinate organizations are the critical material developers for the Army’s enterprise services efforts. We develop, deliver and sustain enterprise-level IT services that enable end-to-end communication, collaboration, messaging, content management and application hosting across the Army, providing the Soldier communications and connectivity anywhere, anytime.
Also within my portfolio are the Reserve Component Automation Systems, Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions, or CHESS, AcqBusiness, Human Resource (HR) Solutions, MC4, or Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care, the Distributed Learning System (DLS) and the Force Management System (FMS), along with other programs.
In the more than 10 years that we have been at war, the scope and focus in the Army and PEO EIS have changed rapidly. We have been leaders in fulfilling the Army’s vision of an agile, deployable, technologically superior force that can keep pace with the rapid speed of change.
What are some of the milestones you’ve achieved?
I am proud of the work that we do at PEO EIS in supporting Soldiers every day. Our enterprise efforts make our force more agile and superior, and equip them for their varied missions. We work hard to adapt to the swiftly changing technological demands of a global Army, and I think we do a great job meeting and exceeding those demands—especially in a time of budget uncertainty.
Specifically, I have helped PMs understand and begin the transition from the legacy Army Knowledge Online system to its replacement technologies, achieving hundreds of millions of dollars in cost avoidance and savings within the CHESS and HR Solutions programs. I have supported the enhancements to the organizational servers within FMS to accommodate the needs of our ERPs; assisted in stabilizing critical DLS components in support of self-structured development courses and a myriad of others, a Sergeant Major of the Army special emphasis area; worked intimately with the PM for MC4 to field two worldwide medical system upgrades; fielded a new reserve component system; and had a hand in many more global support efforts.
From my own career perspective, my goal from the first day I enlisted in the Army was to be a master sergeant (E-8); I never imagined I would be selected for sergeant major. It was an honor to realize selection [in April 1999] to the highest enlisted grade based on my service record and the quality of my work, and I am still grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my country and wear its uniform.
On a personal level, I consider it a great achievement that my children are college-educated, and that my daughter also wore the uniform as an officer in the U.S. Army. As a captain, she was deployed twice to Baghdad during a period of heavy fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom, for a total of 27 months. I am immensely proud of all three of my children, and I am also proud to note that not only are we an Army family, but we are an Acquisition Corps family as well: my wife Tekala Bagby also serves as an Acquisition Corps civilian in the Army.
What is your greatest satisfaction in being part of the Army Acquisition Corps?
Because I have been a PM in industry and government deputy PM for a number of years, I think I bring a unique perspective to my role as portfolio manager. Having had a PM’s perspective helps me to relate to the challenges that my PM/PDs face in their daily leadership roles, and allows me to be instrumental in guiding them smoothly through all aspects of the acquisition process. I am part of the headquarters leadership team now, but I truly know what they are going through, and I think that benefits the programs our leadership and PEO EIS employees.
My goal as portfolio manager is simple: to help the PM/PDs to get capability and services to the field, and to help propel excellent leaders into filling my role and beyond. Mentoring, shaping and assisting future leaders is something that I am passionate about, and when I see someone who has worked for me excel—and there are many—there is no greater satisfaction.
In celebration of the silver anniversary of the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC), Access is publishing “25 for 25” — twenty-five profiles of members of the AAC across the Army Acquisition Workforce. These profiles provide unique insight into the variety and importance of the work done by the AAC every day.
