GSA names new deputy administrator
A week of major changes within the General Services Administration concluded late Friday afternoon with the naming of Michael Lynch to serve as deputy administrator of the agency.
Lynch, formerly the Chief Executive Officer at UK-based tech firm Zedsen, had been serving as a senior advisor within GSA under Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian for the first two months of President Trump’s second administration.
“Effective immediately, I am delegating all authority to perform the duties of the Deputy Administrator to Michael Lynch,” Ehikian said in an email to staff Friday afternoon. “As my Senior Advisor, Mike has been an integral part of my team, and we’ve worked closely on many projects together in these first two months. I value his leadership and experience, and have full confidence that he will do an excellent job in this new role.”
President Trump tapped Ehikian — formerly a VP of Product at SalesForce — to serve as both GSA’s acting administrator and deputy administrator on Jan. 20. In the eight weeks since, GSA has reduced its workforce by several hundred employees through probationary employee layoffs and reduction in force efforts, including the elimination of the entire 18F tech office.
At the same time, GSA — which plays a key role in government contracting — has undertaken a review of consultancies that has large ramifications across the government contracting space. Through an executive order issued this week, the agency may “quadruple” in size as the Trump administration looks to centralize procurement across the government within GSA. The agency is also planning to announce major changes to its FedRAMP program Monday.
Per his LinkedIn, Lynch has held executive roles in various companies including Zedsen, Rocket Lab, WaveOptics, SpaceX and Eli Lilly & Company. From 2013 to 2014, he served as a senior advisor to Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind.
“Mike is a seasoned executive who has worked in multiple industries including biotech, aerospace, consumer electronics and the U.S. Congress,” Ehikian said. “I’m looking forward to our continued partnership leading the agency and thank you for your hard work and dedication to GSA’s mission.”
Nextgov/FCW reporter Natalie Alms contributed to this story.
