FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 19, 2002

Contact: Eldon Girdner (202) 606-2402

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New Career Leadership Team named at OPM
OPM Director James fulfills 30 day hiring pledge

Washington, D.C. – Kay Coles James, the Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM), today introduced her final selections of four key executives who will help lead the Federal agency into its implementation of a dramatic realignment plan. The new senior managers were introduced to a packed assembly of OPM employees. The new organization will combine the current 12 “stovepiped” departments into four central divisions that will encompass broad specialties and are designed to provide a more efficient, coordinated response to the needs of the Federal community.

The plan is based on the agency’s new strategic plan and the importance the Director has placed on communication and service to its customers. The strategic plan and the restructuring plan were developed with feedback from labor unions; the Mercatus Center, OMB, and GAO and involvement by a wide range of OPM employees.

The head of each of the four new divisions will carry the title of Associate Director, and will assist OPM Director James in implementing the OPM reorganization. In making the announcement, Director James said, “These four individuals are among the finest and most creative career public servants I have had the honor to meet. They not only exemplify excellence but have exhibited tremendous vision throughout their record of accomplishment.”

Collectively, the four new Associate Directors represent diverse backgrounds and expertise rooted in public service, including the GAO, OMB, IRS, NIH, and Treasury, as well as local goverment; with special skills in innovative HR reforms, e-Gov, labor management relations, and knowledge of civil service protections.

The new Associate Directors are:

Ron Sanders, who will direct the Human Resources Program Development division. Mr. Sanders, comes to OPM from the Internal Revenue Service where he had been Chief Human Resource Officer for the last four years. During his tenure, he spearheaded what has been called by some as one of the most challenging organizational transformations ever attempted in government. The realignment of the IRS dramatically flattened the organizational structure, eliminated up to five management levels and transitioned 100,000 IRS employees into that new structure in less than six months. IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti said “no one is more responsible (than Mr. Sanders)” for that success. His work in the IRS transition won him his second Presidential Rank award and he has been nominated for the new Service to America Medal.

In his new role, Mr. Sanders will focus on the development of HR policies and programs that govern how agencies manage their human resource programs. The major functions of this division include employment policy, compensation and benefits policy, workforce relations and senior executive and management policy. James stated, “Ron’s experience in reorganizing of the IRS will be invaluable to OPM as we seek to better realign the agency around the needs of the Federal Government. I look forward to his ideas and leadership.”

Overseeing the Human Resources Products and Services division will be Associate Director Stephen Benowitz, who had been the Director of Strategic Management Planning at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In that position, Mr. Benowitz was responsible for human capital planning and aligning NIH’s programs with The President’s Management Agenda. While at NIH, the Secretary of Health and Human Services approved his plan for implementation of a simplified personnel system. He also redesigned the budget formulation system and oversaw the upgrading of an information technology system for the NIH Office of the Director. Earlier in his career, Mr. Benowitz was Director of Personnel at the U.S. Department of Treasury where he oversaw HR policy for over 150,000 Treasury employees.

This directorate will centralize the products and services that OPM provides to customers. Retirement services and Federal employee insurance programs fall under this heading. Other areas of focus include executive management and training, along with examining and testing services. Also under Mr. Benowitz’s direction is OPM’s investigations operation, which will process over one million national security-related background checks in the coming 12 months.

James stated, “Much of what Federal agencies know about OPM is due to the high quality of products and services we offer. I will look to Steve to play a critical role in ensuring that our products provide high value for agencies and employees.”

Clarence Crawford, recently joined OPM Director’s staff and will be named Associate Director for Management and Chief Financial Officer. This division will unify many of OPM’s internal management processes including internal HR, finance, contracting and information technology. In addition, the agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer will report to this Associate Director but will have direct access to OPM Director for pertinent case or policy issues.

Mr. Crawford, who began his career in the Federal Government as a Presidential Management Intern, has extensive experience in the Federal workforce. Prior to coming to OPM, Mr. Crawford was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). While there, he reduced his organization’s relative cost by 20% while simultaneously increasing customer satisfaction by 33%. In the spring of 2000, Mr. Crawford implemented the American Inventors Protection Act, which created the Federal Government’s second performance-based agency. In the wake of 9-11, he developed the Patent and Trademark Office’s continuity of operations plan (COOP) for the agency’s 18-building campus in Crystal City, Virginia. Prior to his tenure at the USPTO, Mr. Crawford served as Associate Director for Administration at the Office of Management and Budget where he worked for two years, and was charged with managing its $61 million budget and 518 employees. He has also held several positions with the General Accounting Office where he served for seven years. Additionally he has served in the Internal Revenue Service where he was a Presidential Management Intern.

Director James stated, “Clarence Crawford has a proven track record of accomplishments in his previous positions in the Federal Government. That background is why we recently asked him to join our family as Director of the Office of Executive Resource Management. This position – which significantly increases the role Clarence will play at OPM – reflects how highly I value his ability. I look forward to the results of his leadership at OPM.”

Marta Brito Perez, is Director James’ choice to head the Agency Merit System Accountability and Human Resource Programs division. Ms. Perez joined OPM in March of 2002 after having served as the Director of the Office of Human Resources for the Montgomery County (MD) government. In that position, she oversaw all aspects of human resources management for more than 10,000 county employees and 4,000 retired employees and their dependents. She also served as the chief labor negotiator for the County, modernized the philosophy and technology of her department and incorporated data analysis techniques to direct HR into value-added functions.

Born in Camaguey, Cuba, Perez, along with her parents Anna and Francisco Brito, fled Fidel Castro’s communist dictatorship in Cuba, and came to the United States with refugee status in 1968. The family brought no possessions and spoke no English upon arrival. Within three days they settled in Rockville, Maryland where they have resided ever since. "Marta Perez is no stranger to challenges," James said in making the announcement. "She has demonstrated that many times in both her personal and professional life. OPM is taking the lead on improvements that will make the Federal Government a better and more attractive employer in today's very competitive job market. With Marta's expertise and leadership, I see an incredible human capital 'opportunity' …not a crisis, as some people have asserted."

As Associate Director, Ms. Perez will focus her attention on creating HR accountability across government and ensuring the observance of merit systems principles in agency HR operations.

Messrs. Sanders, Benowitz, Crawford were selected through a plan Director James hopes will serve as a model to other government agencies. Traditionally, it takes up to six months to hire a senior executive into the Federal government. James insisted to her staff that the decision time could be cut to 30 days – a goal that was met with these four critical positions. A timeline was established and a job announcement was posted. Applications were due by September 27, 2002, then the review process began for the 400 applicants. A review panel forwarded the finalists to Director James who interviewed the candidates and on November 8, 2002 (30 working days after September 27th) decided on her hires and made the employment offer. “I believe we have demonstrated that this 30-day hiring model works. One need only look at the outstanding individuals being announced today as proof of that,” James stated. “Our Federal government needs the best and the brightest to join its ranks. You simply can’t expect exceptional people to wait for up to half a year to find out if they have a job or not. They’ll be long gone and the American people lose out.”

The four new Associate Directors named by Director James will assume their positions in the next several weeks.

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OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.