The CDC Leaders

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”

—Albert Einstein

Crayton Lankford, MBA

Acting Director, Financial Management Office

Prior to becoming the Acting Director of the Financial Management Office, Lankford was detailed to the position of Deputy Chief Operating Officer. Before that, he served as Chief Management Officer (CMO) for the Coordinating Center for Global Health (COGH) where he focused his energies on improving global business services to support CDC′s overseas offices and international programs. He has also led and participated in many CDC-wide initiatives to improve management, including business innovations and efficiencies, telework, compensation and performance rewards, and travel system improvements.

Lankford served for six years as Regional Director of Financial Management for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, overseeing $6 billion of food assistance programs. He led a staff of accountants, financial specialists, budget analysts, and computer specialists to provide financial accounting operations, analysis, and reviews for State and local agencies. Specific activities included: reviewing and approving State budget proposals, managing the grant award and letter of credit system, completing annual reconciliation and statements of account, overseeing cash management practices of State agencies, performing financial compliance reviews of State agencies, maintaining accounts receivable, collecting and analyzing financial reports, and managing the internal budget.

In this position, he was credited with many innovations to improve internal controls, provide better financial information, and streamline procedures at USDA. Examples include establishment of a new financial review unit, streamlined reporting points, enhanced cash management, a lockbox for accounts receivable, a standardized single-source database of program financial information, and new management information systems. Mr. Lankford paid particular attention to upgrading the technical skills of the people in financial management, many of whom had been transferred from program specialist roles.

Lankford led the development of a regional financial management information system to standardize and automate closeout, quarterly financial reconciliations, funds projections, and a series of key management reports. The management reports were designed to spot variances and trends so that corrective action could be taken quickly. All of the regional offices joined into this system and adopted standard practices. For these efforts, Mr. Lankford received an award from the Association of Government Accountants at their national meeting.

Lankford and the Southeast Region were chosen as the lead Region to participate in development of the first integrated agency-wide financial management accounting system. Mr. Lankford and his staff represented the Regional Offices and worked with the National office to design, test, and implement the automated system in full compliance with the Chief Financial Officers Act.

He has a degree in Economics from Washington State University and a Masters of Business Administration, with an emphasis in accounting, from Georgia State University.

Lankford and his wife Becky have three adult children and two grandchildren.