GSA Names Smith to Head New England Region

GSA # 9879

September 24, 2001
Contact: Deborah K. Ruiz, (202) 501-1231
deborah.ruiz@gsa.gov

WASHINGTON, DC - Administrator Stephen A. Perry of the U.S. General Services Administration today announced his selection of Massachusetts native Dennis R. Smith as the Regional Administrator for GSA's New England Region. His new position becomes effective September 24, 2001.

"We are truly fortunate to have the opportunity to appoint Dennis to this post," Mr. Perry said. "His extensive experience in local, state and federal government, topped off by his most recent post overseeing Massachusetts' state buildings, makes him a perfect choice to lead GSA's New England regional office."

Mr. Smith has experience in local, state, and federal government, having served as a teacher and selectman in Middleboro, Mass. He worked for former state senator Ned Kirby and, most recently, served the Weld-Cellucci-Swift administrations as Superintendent of the Bureau of State Buildings, a position he's held since 1993. He was appointed to the U.S. Metric Board during the Carter administration and also served as director of the Boston Regional office for the U.S. Department of Education during former President Bush's administration.

"I am honored to have been selected by Administrator Perry to head Region 1 and am eager to begin work to achieve his goals. Working with the excellent team already in place, I plan to focus on how we accomplish our core mission and ensure that associates are results-orientated and continually look for opportunities to improve service," Mr. Smith said.

"As a former GSA customer, from 1989-93, I know how committed Boston GSA is to serving its client agencies. I look forward to leading the Boston team as it continues to strive to accomplish the GSA mission in the most efficient and effective manner. My goal is to have the Boston office known to all as the best in the nation," Mr. Smith said.

Headquartered in Boston, Mass., the New England Region has a real estate portfolio that includes 89 government-owned buildings and leased space in 248 commercial buildings as well as 25 border station facilities, and 19 U.S. postal facilities. As the Regional Administrator, Mr. Smith will direct a GSA workforce of approximately 288 associates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire and oversee an annual operating budget of about $183 million.

Mr. Smith holds an undergraduate degree in education from University of Massachusetts-Lowell and a graduate degree in secondary education from Suffolk University in Boston. Mr. Smith is currently active in Plymouth, Mass., where he resides with his wife, June, as a member of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, the Plymouth Republican Town Committee, and Christ Episcopal Church. He has three adult children.

GSA is a centralized federal procurement and property management agency created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. It acquires, on behalf of federal agencies, office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services. GSA, comprised of 14,000 associates, provides services and solutions for the office operations of over 1 million federal workers located in 8,300 government -owned and leased buildings in 1,600 U.S. communities.