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Robert N. McFarland was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on October 15, 2003, and confirmed by the Senate on January 22, 2004.
As Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology (IT), Mr. McFarland serves as the Department’s Chief Information Officer, advising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters pertaining to IT system’s acquisition and management. He is responsible for overseeing operation of VA’s computer systems and telecommunication networks for medical information, veterans’ benefits payments, life insurance programs and financial management systems.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. McFarland served as vice president of government relations for Dell Computer Corporation.
Mr. McFarland joined Dell in 1996 as vice president and general manager of the federal business segment. He held several senior executive positions at Dell, including managing the company’s global segment, large corporate accounts and government sector. Under his leadership, Dell became the number one supplier of computer systems to the federal government. Mr. McFarland was named one of the 1998 “Federal 100” – a joint government and industry award designating the top 100 executives in the federal marketplace.
Mr. McFarland’s information technology career includes executive experience with several domestic and international enterprises. He served as a senior vice president for the Cerplex Group, Inc., of Southern California, a provider of outsourcing for electronics repair and distribution., and vice president of the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions of AST Research, Inc.
An Army veteran, Mr. McFarland served in the Vietnam War. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas.
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