Lurita Doan Assumes Role as GSA Administrator

GSA# 10244 

May 31, 2006
Contact: Katherine Uhre
katharine.uhre@gsa.gov

Washington, D.C. – Today, Lurita Doan took the oath of office, becoming the 18th Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Mrs. Doan is the first woman to hold this position.

President George W. Bush nominated Mrs. Doan on April 6, and the Senate confirmed her nomination on May 26.  U.S District Court, Federal Judge, the Honorable Richard W. Roberts administered the oath of office at GSA headquarters with Mrs. Doan’s husband, Doug, daughters and other family members, friends and GSA employees in attendance.

“I am honored that President Bush asked me to take on such a critical role in his Administration,” said Mrs. Doan. “I share his vision to make GSA now and for the future, the premier source for cost-effective, timely and compliant property management and government procurement. “

Following the official swearing-in, Mrs. Doan addressed the GSA audience and discussed her plans for the agency. 

“Together we will restore GSA’s leadership as the premier contracting and service provider.  To be the best, we are going to need to improve all of our services and better understand and anticipate the requirements of our customers.  But we can do it,” said Doan. “GSA can provide purchasing services quantifiably better, faster, and save taxpayer’s dollars. GSA must do a better job of proving this and enable government agencies to refocus scarce management and contracting resources on their core issues.”

Mrs. Doan, a native of New Orleans, La., was, until July 2005, the President, CEO and founder of New Technology Management, Inc. (NTMI).  NTMI provides installation and integration of border surveillance technology to the Federal government.  Before entering the field of computer technology, Mrs. Doan taught at several colleges in the Washington, D.C. area and in Louisiana. 

Most recently, Mrs. Doan has been serving on the search committee to select Vassar College’s 10th President, the Steering Committee for the Women’s Majority Network founded by Senator Elizabeth Dole, and the Steering Committee for the soon-to-be-built Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Harman Center for the Arts.

In addition, Mrs. Doan provides support to the American Red Cross, the National Women’s Business Center, the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the United Negro College Fund, the American Women’s Business Centers, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Whitman Walker Clinic among other groups.

Boards she serves on include: Board of Trustees, Vassar College and the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, D.C.  She has also been actively involved with the Committee of 200, Council on Competitiveness, National Association of Women Business Owners, National Association of Female Executives, Women in Technology International, Minority Business Network, and the Northern Virginia Technology Council.

Mrs. Doan holds a bachelor's degree from Vassar College and a master's degree in renaissance literature from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

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