2012 Alumni Citation Award Recipient David M. Wennergren '80

The Alumni Citation Award, established in 1969, recognizes contributions to society through professional, civic and philanthropic work. Wennergren graduated from Mansfield in 1980 with a dual major, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Public Relations. He later earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Maryland and has become recognized as a federal leader in information technology and change management. 

Wennergren worked for the Department of the Navy for 26 years in a variety of positions culminating in selection as the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer, where he was responsible for all information management and technology efforts across the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team.  He was then selected by the Secretary of Defense to serve Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Information Management, Integration and Technology, where he led the information management and technology efforts of the Defense Department.  Currently he serves as the Department of Defense Assistant Deputy Chief Management Officer, where he champions the department’s efforts to improve defense business operations.

Wennergren has also had a significant impact on technology efforts across the federal government, selected by his peers as the longest serving vice chair of the U.S. Government’s Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council, and also serving as chair of several other national and defense technology governance bodies. 

He has received the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive Service as well as numerous Defense and Navy awards including the two most prestigious career service awards, the Department of Defense and the Department of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Awards.  He has also received numerous industry and association recognition, including the TechAmerica Terman Award for Government Technology Executive of the Year, the Federal CIO Council Azimuth Award, the Government Computer News Defense Executive of the Year, the John J. Franke Jr. Award from the American Council for Technology and the Federal Computer Week Eagle Award (Government Leader of the Year). A huge believer in the “power of team,” he is honored to have worked in two organizations that were awarded the Department of the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation.