(Washington DC) - Chancellor of NDU’s Information Resources Management College (IRMC or iCollege), Dr. Robert D. Childs, has announced his retirement. When asked about his decision, he said, “After careful thought and much reflection I have decided to retire 31 January 2014 from my position as Chancellor of the National Defense University iCollege. Having served over four decades in government service, 30 years at National Defense University (NDU), nearly 23 years at the iCollege as Dean of Faculty and Academic Programs initially, and as Chancellor the last 14 years, it is time to explore new challe nges in a new venue.
“ The time has passed swiftly; when you tackle a multi - dimensional job like this, putting yourself and family ‘all in,’ the results are rewarding, but incredibly demanding. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities these posi tions provided, for the many talented colleagues I have been honored to collaborate with and the lifelong friendships and relationships established. To be associated with such distinguished professionals who work with and support you in trust relationship s is a priceless gift.
“ The college collectively, and myself individually, have been recognized globally for some very important contributions to the IT and cyber workforce communities. I attribute these successes to the incredibly creative, talented, a nd dedicated faculty and staff who have served with me at the college. My contribution was to provide the strategic vision, global strategies, and ‘top cover’ so they could exercise their professional expertise in a meaningful, uninhibited manner. We mad e unparalleled advances due to an unbelievable team effort.”
Under Childs’ leadership, over 16,000 alumni across the Federal government benefit from iCollege courses. In 2008, the college established the Chief Financial Off icer Academy which today brings chief information officers and chief financial officers together to study information strategies. In 2010, the college gained authority to offer a master ’ s degree in "Government Information Leadership" a steadily growing program.
The college is supporti ng Department of Defense (DoD) international outreach efforts by establishing a CIO Academy in Romania and teaching courses in Sweden and Singapore, plus supporting the NATO Cyber Center in Estonia. In 2010 through 2012, the college, under the guidance of the DoD CIO, expanded its international reach, offering landmark regional conferences on cyber collaboration and infrastructure protection in Singapore, UK, UAE, and Thailand collaborating with international leaders and global companies.
In 2013, Dr. Chi lds was inducted into the prestigious Government Computer News (GCN) Hall of Fame. Dave Wennergren, who held several executive positions in DoD calls Childs “...a truly innovative spirit and a perpetual energy machine" who is regularly looking over the horiz on for new opportunities. "Bob was always a step ahead, with a new course offering, a new approach, or a new program ready to be deployed," Wennergren said, "and created the learning environment for IT professionals around the world to survive and thrive." Childs previously has been recognized as a Federal 100 award winner and Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International IT Executive of the Year.
Asked about future plans, Childs stated: "There are numerous cyber leadership ed ucation needs and demands in the US and internationally. I intend to explore a wide variety of options where I can directly and meaningfully apply my experience, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, I plan to spend more quality time with my wife, children and grandchildren.”
Dr. Robert D. Childs, Col, USAF, (Ret)
childsrd@gmail.com
703 - 266 - 2603
About the College - The NDU iCollege, a U.S. Department of Defense institution, prepares military and civilian leaders to optimize information technology management and secure information dominance within cyberspace. Although most students come from DoD (military and civilians), the school also accepts federal agency, private sector, and international students into its graduate programs. Courses at the NDU iCollege are completed on campus and/or online. For more information about the college, please contact coopersmithp@ndu.edu or visit the college’s Facebook page or website.
NDU is the premier national security institution focused on advanced joint warfighter education, leader development, and scholarship. The University p rovides rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select others in order to develop leaders who have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world. For more information about the National Defense University, please contact: Daniel Magalotti, Acting Public Affairs Officer, at 202 - 685 - 3140 or daniel.magalotti@ndu.edu ; or visit
www.ndu.edu .