Charles Fernandez Named as GSA's Special Assistant to the Administrator for the Race Initiative

GSA#9646

February 28, 2000
Contact: Eleni Martin (202) 501-1231

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) named Charles Fernandez to head the agency's Race Initiatives program. Fernandez will continue to perform his duties as Director of Human Resources for the Greater Southwest and Rocky Mountain Regions.

"To date, the Race Initiative at GSA has been a quiet and important success," said GSA Administrator David J. Barram, "but now is the time for an advocate and leader to devote the creativity and initiative needed to take it to a new level, and Charles Fernandez is uniquely qualified to fill that position."

Fernandez joined GSA in 1971. He brings extensive experience in equal employment opportunity and human resources arenas. Fernandez has served as the Acting Deputy Regional Administrator in GSA's Greater Southwest Regional office, which is a large racially complex region with regard to culture and work environment. Fernandez has been recognized as a superb "customer focused" manager and has been invited to extend his areas of responsibility well beyond his region to Colorado and to Atlanta, thereby serving some 25% of the GSA community.

Fernandez began his federal career in 1965. He began his career with GSA in 1971. Fernandez earned a BBA degree in Personnel Management from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas and an MBA degree from North Texas State University. Since 1979 he has been an adjunct faculty member in the school of business at Mountain View College in Dallas, Texas.

Fernandez and his wife Edna reside in Arlington, Texas.