FAA Names New CIO

In another personnel change of import to business aviation, the FAA this month named David Bowen as the agency’s new Chief Information Officer and Assistant Administrator for Information Services. Bowen replaces Dan Mehan, who left the FAA at the end of September 2005, and interim CIO Walter Iwanow. Bowen comes to the FAA from Blue Shield California, one of the largest not-for-profit health plans in that state, where he served as senior vice president and chief information officer. Bowen will formally join the agency Feb. 21. In a statement e-mailed to agency employees, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said, “We are indeed fortunate to have someone of David Bowens technical background and leadership skills. As Senior Vice President and CIO of Blue Shield for the past five years, he operated the company’s IT department at more than 3 percent below budget, while improving the department’s customer satisfaction scores. Among his cost-cutting measures, he negotiated and implemented a new IT contract,” saving Blue Shield over $7 million in operating expenses during its first year. Could something similar be in store for AVweb‘s Favorite Aviation Agency, which has recently stepped up the tempo and volume of its drumbeat for more revenues?