Karl Mathias

CIO, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Justice

The chief information officer for the U.S. Marshals Service provides information technology services and support to 7,600 employees, contractors and task force officers. Mathias came to the job from the Pentagon, where he was deputy CIO for Headquarters Air Force. He believes in talking to his people to learn their individual needs and that organizational success comes from strong subordinate leaders and their teams being brought up through the ranks. With contractors bringing the best technical talent, government should focus on IT program management, oversight, policy, and planning skill sets, Mathias said. “The federal government would be well-served to imitate [the military] and create leadership schools for junior, mid-level, and senior staff,” he added.