George Kovatch has a reputation for helping organizations achieve their strategic goals. A results-focused senior executive with Executive branch, Legislative branch, and private sector experience, he specializes in developing corporate strategic plans and has a passion for building teams that utilize business process improvement, evaluates data and risk to inform investment decisions, and drive organizational change. He uses his Executive branch, Legislative branch and corporate relationships and experience to navigate the federal budget and appropriations processes to achieve results.
George previously served as the Deputy Comptroller (Budget and Appropriations Affairs) for the Department of Defense (DoD) where he led a team of senior military officers and civilians responsible for delivering and securing congressional support for DoDs $700+ billion annual budget and advancing the Secretary of Defenses readiness and lethality priorities. His success earned him the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest award the Secretary of Defense can give. The citation noted, “the numerous Department of Defense funding wins in FY 2021 can be directly attributed to Mr. Kovatch’s leadership and well-orchestrated collaboration.”
Prior positions include:
Deputy Chief Management Officer/Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy ‚œ leading the development and execution of the Department of the Navy’s (DON) Business Operations Plan (BOP). During his tenure the DON achieved $10 billion in savings over the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP), readiness for tactical aircraft increased from approximately 50% to 80%, and the Department completed two full-scope CFO audits.
Assistant Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) ‚œ led their Washington, DC operations as the agency’s representative before 100 federal partners, state, local, tribal, international, and private sector customers. Heading both FLETCs International Training division and Congressional relations team, he was responsible for achieving the passage of FLETC’s first Congressional Authorization Law in their 45-year history.
Before returning to Government service he worked for a Management and IT consulting company where he led business development efforts and successfully brought the company into two new markets: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Treasury.
He served on Capitol Hill on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Homeland Security. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the 22 agencies of DHS and appropriated over $45 billion annually.
George served on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard for 20 years as a surface operations specialist (Cutterman) serving in several ships in positions up through Commanding Officer. He was also a financial manager in the Office of the Chief Financial Manager (CFO/CG-8) where he was selected by the Commandant to establish a new office responsible for implementing the Services financial management strategic plan. This set the stage for the Coast Guard and DHS to achieve an unqualified audit opinion for the first time in history.
A native of Massachusetts, he is a graduate of Boston Colleges Carroll School of Management and Columbia Business Schools Executive MBA program.
Expertise:
Department of Defense Program, Budget, Execution, and Appropriations processes
Congressional Relations and Engagement
Organizational Strategic Development
Corporate financial investment decision making
Previous Government Experience:
Deputy Comptroller (Budget & Appropriations Affairs), Department of Defense (2019-2021)
Deputy Chief Management Officer, Department of the Navy (2018-2019)
Assistant Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, DHS (2014-2018)
Senate Appropriations Committee (2010-2014)
U. S. Coast Guard (active duty 1990-2013)
