News Release

OPM Director James Hires Three Senior Executives in 30 Days

Washington, DC - U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James has named three new Senior Executive Service officials to her team. From interview to hire, the action is in line with her continuing effort to hire "top-notch" executives within 30 work days.

"I am excited to say that OPM's professional staff have met their goal of creating a hiring system that is efficient, responsive and, most importantly, timely," said James. "I'm proud that the OPM team is modeling a system that engages the full attention of agency leadership and makes human capital management a central focus. Our new teammates bring a wealth of knowledge about what managers and supervisors need to know to get the job done."

The new Senior Executives are tasked with the critical assignments of facilitating President George W. Bush's Management Agenda and ensuring that OPM has the knowledge and skills needed to implement the administration's commitment to a citizen-centered, results-oriented and market-based federal government.

Those named to SES posts include:

Thomas L. Forman - Deputy Associate Director, Security and Emergency Actions Forman brings to OPM a vast knowledge and experience in the security and emergency preparedness fields. He will add additional capacity to OPM's expanded role in emergency planning coordination governmentwide. He had a long career at the Federal Emergency Management Agency as its Deputy Director of the Office of National Security Coordination.

He has joined OPM as the Deputy Associate Director, Center for Security and Emergency Actions. Playing a key role on Director James' management team, Forman will direct the planning and implementation of all security and emergency action programs for OPM, and be its principal point of contact with various federal, local and state agencies including the White House, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.

Gerald W. Thomas - Assistant Director, Business Control Units and Financial Services Thomas brings 27 years of financial management experience in the federal service to his new post. His most recent appointment was at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he was responsible for managing and directing HHS' integrated, departmentwide financial management system initiative. Thomas also worked in Associate and Assistant Deputy Director positions at the Department of Defense, Defense Finance and Accounting Service office and the United States General Accounting Office

Thomas will ensure full, cross-functional, 'one-stop' financial and budgetary accounting support, assistance, advice and guidance for OPM's programs.

Maurice O. Duckett - Assistant Director, RIS Support Services Duckett has an extensive background in the analysis, improvement and delivery of retirement and insurance products and services, as well as financial systems management. Over the course of three decades, he has worked in several capacities at OPM. He first served as a supervisory accountant and later held several roles ranging from accounting officer, program analysis officer, Acting Deputy CFO/Senior Advisor to the CFO and senior advisor for Retirement and Insurance at OPM.

Duckett will provide advice and guidance to the Deputy Associate Director, Center for Retirement and Insurance Services (CRIS) on a wide range of management and administrative services.

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OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.

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