Private Industry Professional Takes Over Chief Information Officer Position

To ensure that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) stays ahead of the curve with up-to-date and streamlined computer systems and software, a leader in private sector information technology (IT) management was chosen to lead the agency's future IT development and modernization.

Jim Gwinn comes to the agency with nearly 30 years of experience in senior level positions, including Vice President, Information Technologies for Network Systems at Verizon Business in Nashville, Tenn., where he managed an IT workforce of more than 1,400 employees worldwide and an operating budget of more than $130 million. He brings a record of success in transitioning legacy systems to state-of-the-art technology.

"I look forward to the opportunity to enable and improve the essential services we provide the many farmers and producers across America," stated Gwinn. "During my first month at FSA, I have been very impressed with the support, dedication and commitment I have encountered across the agency's workforce and I am confident that we will be able to dramatically transform and modernize the technological landscape supporting FSA and the many farmers and producers we support."

Gwinn has already hit the ground running and will be responsible for the overall strategic direction of the agency’s IT program. He will provide guidance and oversight to technology and business system modernization projects in addition to the development and acquisition of new information systems for the agency. He will lead the Information Technology Services Division, replacing Steven Sanders, who is now the director of FSA's Kansas City Commodity Office. The division is made up of 630 federal employees and contractors working to implement off-the-shelf software systems via web-enabled network access.

Prior to his leadership roles at Verizon, Gwinn held senior leadership positions with MCI, WorldCom and EDS. His work has been recognized with professional awards in the IT field. He received a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s degree in business administration from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn. Gwinn, his wife Nancy and daughter Erin will permanently relocate to the Washington, D.C., area this spring. His son Brandon is currently a graduate student at New York University in New York City.

FSA’s new CIO, Jim Gwinn, comes to the agency with nearly 30 years of experience in various senior level positions working in private sector IT.