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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MAYOR WILLIAMS ANNOUNCES THREE NEW APPOINTMENTSMayor Fills Positions at the Emergency Management Agency, the Office of Contracts & Procurement and the Office of Competitive Services(Washington, D.C.) Mayor Anthony Williams today announced the appointments of three new members to his administration. He nominated Mr. Elliott B. Branch to head the Of fice of Contracts and Procurement, Mr. Peter G. LaPorte to serve as Director of Emergency Management Agency, and Ms. Chere A. Calloway as Director of Competitive Services. As Director of Contracts and Procurement, Mr. Branch will be responsible for directing and coordinating all the contracting and procurement activities for D.C. agencies. Mr. Branch served as the Executive Director of Acquisition and Business Management in the Of fice of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) and was responsible for establishing policy and providing oversight for contracting throughout the Department of the Navy. Mr. Branch also served as a contract specialist in the Naval Air Systems Command where he supported various Naval Aviation programs. In 1986, he became head of the Submarine Combat Systems Contracts Branch at the Naval Sea Systems Command. Mr. Branch received his BS degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1978. "He is a highly recommended, highly experienced procurement professional who can make our system work so that agencies get the computers they need at the best price, textbooks arrive before classes begin and snow plow subcontractors are ready to go when the first snowflake hits the pavement," said Mayor Williams. As Director of Emergency Management Agency, Mr. LaPorte will administer a critical District agency charged with coordinating emergency services, training emergency personnel, and informing the public of impending emergencies. Previously, Mr. LaPorte was Chief of Staff to the Executive Assistant Chief of Police, Terrance Gainer and assisted Chief Gainer in the operational services of the Metropolitan Police. Prior to his position as Chief of Staff to Chief Gainer, Mr. LaPorte held the position of Executive Director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Mr. LaPorte coordinated disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts for the state, including the floods of October 1996 and the blizzard of 1997. Mr. LaPorte earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and he holds a Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law. He also completed a Senior Government Executive Project at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. "Peter LaPorte has the experience and expertise we need to help the District deal with — and avoid — emergency situations," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "We are fortunate to have such a well qualified successor to Sam Jordan." Ms. Calloway has been nominated as the Director of the Office of Competitive Services of the District of Columbia. A new office in the District Government, it will be responsible for helping District agencies deliver services more efficiently. Ms. Calloway served as the Senior Project Manager at the Michigan Department of Management and Budget from October 1997 to July 1999. Her responsibilities included managing Michigan's Supplier Compliance Project. While there, she created and implemented a nationally acclaimed PERM program (PERM stands for privatize, eliminate, retain or modify) to oversee the achievement of improved government efficiency. Ms. Calloway earned a Law Degree from Georgetown's University Law Center and a B.S. degree from Case Western Reserve University. "Chere knows what it takes to help our agencies and employees compete in a very competitive market," said Mayor Williams. "Chere will be a strong partner in our efforts to make this city work for everyone. We believe that our workers — given the resources, training, and support — can and will provide first class service to residents." GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Elliot B. Branch has been appointed to serve as the Chief Procurement Officer (Director, Office of Contracting and Procurement) for the District of Columbia Government. This is an excepted service position, subject to confirmation by the Council of the District of Columbia. He will earn an annual salary of $ 128,618. Since 1994, Mr. Branch has served as the Executive Director for Acquisition and Business Management in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where he held responsibility for policy and oversight of contract operations throughout the Department of the Navy. The Navy procurement system comprises over 900 activities and conducts approximately two million transactions annually worth more than $40 billion. Among his accomplishments, Mr. Branch conceived, managed and implemented a $200 million portfolio of electronic commerce initiatives across the Department of the Navy that resulted in doubling of the number of procurement transactions being conducted in a paperless environment within one year's time. Mr. Branch received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1978. Upon completion of his academic studies, he entered the Department of Navy's Contracting Intern Development Program at the Naval Regional Procurement Office in Philadelphia. In 1980, the Naval Air Systems Command hired Mr. Branch as a contract specialist. In 1986, he became Head of the Submarine Combat Systems Contracts Branch at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Mr. Branch entered the Senior Executive Service as the Director of NAVSEA's Shipbuilding Contract Division in 1993. Mr. Branch is a recognized leader in the field of contracting and procurement. In 1995, he received the Vice Presidential Hammer Award for Reinventing Government. He was awarded the Senior Executive Service rank of Meritorious Executive 1996, and received the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award in 1998. Mr. Branch is a member of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and serves on NCMA's Board of Advisors. He is married to the former Carla Pingley of Phillippi, West Virginia. They have three children: Kaelyn, James and Miranda. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Chere A. Calloway Chere A. Calloway has been named as the Director of the Office of Competitive Services of the District of Columbia by Mayor Anthony A. Williams. She will be working with District Agencies to develop and implement strategies to make our government work more efficiently and effectively for citizens. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Calloway served as the Senior Project Manager at the Michigan Department of Management and Budget from October 1997 to July 1999. Her responsibilities included managing Michigan's Supplier Compliance Project which included ascertaining Y2K compliance status of more than 6,000 products and 400 suppliers used by state agencies. She also created and implemented a nationally acclaimed PERM (privatize, eliminate, retain, or modify) program to oversee the achievement of improved government efficiency. Before going to Michigan, Ms. Calloway served as the lead investigation attorney in the Enforcement Section of the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 1980 to 1988. Ms. Calloway also served at the U.S. Department of the Interior. She worked as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. There she managed the legislative program for the Assistant Secretary. Before that she acted as an attorney, and advisor in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. Prior to her work at the U.S. Department of Interior, Ms Calloway held a position at the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. There she was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division. Her responsibilities included serving as the lead attorney in numerous, complex investigations involving state or private entities. Ms. Calloway earned a Law Degree from Georgetown's University Law Center and a Bachelor's of Science Degree from Case Western Reserve University. She has served as Chair-elect of the Environmental Law Council of the State Bar of Michigan, Board Member of the Potter Park Zoological Society, and Chair of the Lansing Black Lawyers Association Public Education and Cornrnunity Law School Committee. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Peter G. LaPorte Peter G. LaPorte has been nominated as Director of the Emergency Management Agency by Mayor Anthony A. Williams. As Director, Mr. LaPorte will administer a critical District agency charged with coordinating emergency services, training emergency personnel, and informing the public of impending emergencies. Prior to this nomination, Mr. LaPorte served as Chief of Staff to Executive Assistant Chief of Police Terrance Gainer. He assisted Chief Gainer in overseeing the operational services of the Metropolitan Police Department. Previously, Mr. LaPorte was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. He coordinated disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts for the state, including the floods of October 1996 and the blizzard of 1997. Directing a staff of 72, he also administered a budget totaling more than $30 million. From January 1994 to April 1996, Mr. LaPorte served as the Deputy Police Commissioner for New York City. There he oversaw the development and implementation of initiatives leading to the highest reduction of crime in the nation. He has been nationally recognized for his exceptional work in this position. Between February 1992 to January 1994, Mr. LaPorte was Chief of Staff to the Police Commissioner and was the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent in Chief for the Boston Police Department. He was recognized for proactive leadership in developing the first Boston Police Neighborhood Policing Plan of Action in 1993. As Director of Personnel and Budget and Executive Assistant to the Superintendent from October 1986 to February 1992, Mr. LaPorte managed the Police Personnel Office and was accountable for fiscal planning, oversight, and reporting of an annual budget of over $26 million. Mr. LaPorte earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in 1986 and holds a Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law. He also completed a Senior Government Executive Project at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Honors include an Outstanding Achievement Award, the Cooperative Education Award from the College of Criminal Law and the Cardinal Cushing Scholarship. Mr. LaPorte is active in many organizations including the National Emergency Management Association, the Northeast States Emergency Consortium, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Police Executive Research Forum. COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmember Patterson's Statement on the Nomination of Elliott
Branch as Chief Procurement Officer Elliott Branch is a strong candidate to serve as Chief Procurement Of ficer and I anticipate supporting his nomination, assuming a comprehensive confirmation process does not raise issues that I am unaware of at this time. I have scheduled a confirmation hearing on September 17. Mr. Branch's nomination has the support of the District's departing CPO, Richard Fite, whose views are likely to carry considerable weight with members of the Committee on Government Operations. I am troubled by the fact that the executive branch recruited someone who does not meet a particular requirement of the position, the residency requirement. Mr. Branch made it clear from the outset that he would not move into the District of Columbia. I understand the personal and family issues that underlie Mr. Branch's decision. I do not condone the administration's action. I regret that the Williams Administration created this vacancy in a critical position. In order to support continued progress in procurement reform -- progress that would be undermined by a lengthy gap in leadership -- I will support waiving the statutory residency requirement in this instance. |
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