I recently was fortunate enough to visit the FCC's Gettysburg facility and meet several dedicated, hard-working, creative, and caring folks committed to serving the public. The visit began with a tour of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau's Consumer Center and a demo of a tool they use to follow-up on telephone calls into the center. Part of the tour included a hands-up component where I was able to watch and listen in on a phone call they had received, which was extremely helpful in aiding my understanding of all the different programmatic and IT efforts underway at FCC.
I also met with folks from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) who gave a tour of the "war room" where spectrum auctions are held, showing a mock auction including the software supporting the online bids. After that visit I also met with folks from WTB's Technical Systems and Innovation Division who handle elements of FCC's Universal Licensing System and other important national endeavors. My tour included meeting with advanced technical experts on FCC's land mobile, microwave, and public safety/homeland security telecommunications endeavors. In all instances, I was impressed with the drive and commitment to serving the public that the FCC employees and contractors presented in their actions and in spirit.
During an hour right before lunch, and during a working lunch, I met with the team embodying “the heart of FCC IT” at Gettysburg -- a focused, creative team of individuals who ensure FCC Gettysburg receives world-class IT everyday, even in the limits of sequestration. They represent a precision team who embody the spirit of public service and strategic IT partners in carrying out FCC's important mission. They're led by Steve Miller, FCC's Gettysburg Associate CIO, who helped arrange the visit and fosters a strong sense of leadership, empowerment, and camaraderie alongside the FCC IT team. Listening to their stories and current activities, I was impressed by how much is accomplished by the elite IT crew.
The visit to FCC Gettysburg inspired me to know there are such great folks working programmatic and IT issues there on a daily basis, and gave me confidence that working together we can embark on a shared transformation of FCC IT to address new challenges and opportunities together. Onwards and upwards as a team!