Paul E. Exter

Professional Experience

• Responsible for co-creating and co-championing the first CIO Program in the USGS; creation was to support Clinger-Cohen Act in support of IT management.

• Second CTO in USGS history; with the USGS CIO, created all associated IT programs, policies, and IT directives.

• Responsible for creating, architecting, and overseeing the first Directory Service for the USGS; migrated 189 disparate IT environments in USGS to a unified, consolidated service

• Created and resourced the first USGS Chief Information Security Officer Program for the USGS; created all programs associated with cybersecurity in USGS and obtained all funding to support cyber activities across 300 locations and 200,000 devices.

• Created and governed the first USGS Information Technology (IT) Investment Review Board; initiated the Capital Planning and Investment Control processes for IT management; formed the program which represents and accounts for $400M in annual IT spend.

• Responsible for creating, architecting, and overseeing the first IT Security Operations Team for the USGS; initiated the program of 25 FTE to oversee, assess and authorize IT cybersecurity operations for all USGS locations, systems, and activities.

• Responsible for creating, architecting, and overseeing the first Help Desk (Service Desk) for the USGS; created a Tier 1, Tier 2 call center for USGS campus locations with government and contract led staff.

• Responsible for the transition of the USGS GEONET (Geospatial Network) Telecommunications service to the Department; transition saved the USGS an average of $8M per year; provided DOI with 5 highly available Internet gateways, to serve all bureaus of Interior.

• Responsible for architecting and overseeing the EROS Center as an Enterprise Data Center; provided Data Center services to all locations for mission essential functions: EROS Data Center Shared Service was one half the cost of commercial Data Center services

• Responsible for creating, architecting, and overseeing the first USGS Cloud Program for the bureau.  Established an Amazon Web Services Cloud program in USGS, to serve as a mandatory source for Cloud Smart activities Bureau-wide; established a Cloud Smart shared service for USGS APP/DEV and DEV/SEC/OPS; awarded a $1B Cloud contract to service all DOI in 2024; established the Cloud governance board

• Responsible for creating and overseeing the first IT Enterprise Architecture Program for the Bureau; created the Integrated Science Solutions office in ACIO to provide Enterprise IT Architecture (EA) support to all Mission Areas and Programs; established TOGAF as the EA methodology for USGS, to align business goals with IT Architecture.

• Responsible for the first USGS Artificial Intelligence Strategy, supporting USGS Fundamental Science Practices.