Mr. Sonny Bhagowalia's being recognized for his 39 year career, demonstrating exceptional leadership in improving public service delivery through technology and management. Here are the summarized efforts and achievements highlighted in his nomination:

 

1. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI):

   • ​Challenge: BIA faced severe IT challenges due to legal constraints, impacting services toNative American tribes.

   • Achievement: As CIO, Sonny led a coalition effort that restored BIA's internet connectivity ahead of schedule and within budget, significantly improving IT infrastructure and cybersecurity. This achievement earned BIA its first-ever "all green" rating on the OMB's e-Gov management scorecard, enhancing service delivery to federally recognized tribes.

2. U.S. Department of the Treasury

   • Scope: Managed a $3.9 billion IT portfolio supporting Treasury's critical financial operations. ​

   • Achievement: As CIO, Sonny led the team to implement a secure "Digital Treasury" strategy, enhancing access to financial data securely and efficiently. This initiative supported the collection and management of $4 trillion annually, benefiting the U.S. financial system and taxpayers.

3. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

   • Scope: Oversaw a $2.4 billion IT portfolio supporting CBP's 24/7 mission-critical operations.

   • Achievement: As CIO, Sonny led the team to implement enterprise digital modernization and transformation initiatives, utilizing innovative technologies, data, and cybersecurity, to significantly enhance national security, trade, and traveler processing efficiency. These efforts bolstered CBP's ability to protect U.S. citizens and support the nation’s economic prosperity.

4. General Services Administration (GSA):

   • Initiatives: Spearheaded revolutionary federal IT programs like Federal Cloud, Federal Data Center Consolidation, FEDRAMP, and Data.gov.

   • Impact: As Deputy Associate Administrator for Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, Sonny supported the Federal CIO implement these government-wide initiatives which transformed federal IT services, promoting transparency and efficiency across government agencies. Data.gov became a global model for open government data, supporting citizens' access to diverse datasets.

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Benefits to the Public:

• Improved Native American Services: Restored internet access and IT infrastructure for BIA, enhancing services to Native American tribes.

• Modernized Federal IT: Led initiatives resulting in billions of dollars in savings, improved data accessibility, and reduced energy consumption.

• Enhanced National Security: Implemented advanced technologies at CBP, improving security and operational efficiency at U.S. ports of entry.

• Open Government: Established Data.gov, enabling public access to government data for informed decision-making.

 

Leadership and Impact:

• Sonny Bhagowalia's leadership is characterized by integrity, strategic vision, and a relentless commitment to service excellence.

• He has consistently taken on challenging roles, prioritizing public service and operational excellence.

• His initiatives have received national recognition and significantly improved government service delivery across multiple agencies.

 

In summary, Sonny Bhagowalia's career reflects a lifelong commitment to leveraging technology and leadership to enhance public service delivery, safeguard national security, and promote transparency and accountability in government operations. His achievements have had a transformative impact on federal IT infrastructure and service efficiency, benefiting citizens and stakeholders nationwide.