Dean G. Popps
Encyclopedia
Dean G. Popps was Acting United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
from 2008 to 2010.
. He was educated at Marquette University
, graduating in 1970 with a B.A.
in Political Science
and Philosophy
. While in college, he was a member of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
. As a younger man, he worked for the United States House of Representatives
, the United States Senate
, and the District of Columbia criminal court system. From 1975 to 1979, he attended the Potomac School of Law, receiving a J.D.
in 1979.
In 1980, Popps joined Communications Technology Management, Inc. as Operations Manager. He was later promoted to Senior Account Executive and Director of Program Development before becoming Chief Operating Officer
in 1984, holding that position until 1986. In 1984, with Crow Holdings
, Popps also founded Dallas Fort Worth Teleport, a company that manufactured teleports
. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas Fort Worth Teleport until 1999, when the company was acquired by a competitor. Popps was one of the original incorporators of C-SPAN
and his company provided satellite
services for the network. His company also provided the satellite link
between the American Broadcasting Company
and the National Captioning Institute
.
After the sale of his company, Popps lived in semi-retirement. In 2001, he became Chief Operations Supervisor during the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of Computer Learning Centers, Inc.
In the wake of the Iraq War, Popps was recruited by the Coalition Provisional Authority
to serve as its Director of Industrial Conversion, part of the privatization of the Iraq
economy, which had previously had a planned economy
. In this capacity, he was in charge of restructuring the former regime's state-owned 52 Military Industry Commission companies into the new Iraqi Ministry of Science and Technology. He then served as the CPA Deputy Senior Advisor to that ministry, in which role he assisted in the conversion of the Al Tuwaitha nuclear facility, and helped to find new jobs for scientists previously assigned to design and build Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. He served on the CPA’s Iraq Transition Planning Team in June 2004, participating in the handover of authority to the Government of Iraq.
In 2004, Popps became Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. He also served as the Army's Director of Iraq Reconstruction and Program Management, with oversight of the executive agency of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund
.
Popps served as Acting United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
from January 2, 2008 until March 4, 2010. From April to October 2008, he was also a member of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan
. He retired from government service on April 16, 2010.
United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
The Office of the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology is known as OASA...
from 2008 to 2010.
Biography
Dean G. Popps was born in Denver. He is a Greek AmericanGreek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
. He was educated at Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, graduating in 1970 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. While in college, he was a member of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest ROTC program, with 20,000 ROTC cadets in 272 ROTC programs at major universities throughout the United States.The modern Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps...
. As a younger man, he worked for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, and the District of Columbia criminal court system. From 1975 to 1979, he attended the Potomac School of Law, receiving a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1979.
In 1980, Popps joined Communications Technology Management, Inc. as Operations Manager. He was later promoted to Senior Account Executive and Director of Program Development before becoming Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
in 1984, holding that position until 1986. In 1984, with Crow Holdings
Crow Holdings
Crow Holdings is a privately-held company based in Dallas, Texas that manages the wealth of the family of the late property developer Trammell Crow...
, Popps also founded Dallas Fort Worth Teleport, a company that manufactured teleports
Earth station
A ground station, earth station, or earth terminal is a terrestrial terminal station designed for extraplanetary telecommunication with spacecraft, and/or reception of radio waves from an astronomical radio source. Ground stations are located either on the surface of the Earth, or within Earth's...
. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas Fort Worth Teleport until 1999, when the company was acquired by a competitor. Popps was one of the original incorporators of C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
and his company provided satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
services for the network. His company also provided the satellite link
Satellite link
A satellite link is a communications subsystem that involves a link between a transmitting Earth station and a receiving Earth station via a communications satellite.-See also:*Earth terminal*Telecommunications link*Satellite truck*Ku band*C band...
between the American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and the National Captioning Institute
National Captioning Institute
The National Captioning Institute is a non-profit organization that provides closed captioning for television and films. Created in 1979 and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, the organization was the first to caption live TV and home video, and holds the trademark on the display icon featuring a...
.
After the sale of his company, Popps lived in semi-retirement. In 2001, he became Chief Operations Supervisor during the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of Computer Learning Centers, Inc.
In the wake of the Iraq War, Popps was recruited by the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
to serve as its Director of Industrial Conversion, part of the privatization of the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
economy, which had previously had a planned economy
Planned economy
A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production and investment are embodied in a plan formulated by a central authority, usually by a government agency...
. In this capacity, he was in charge of restructuring the former regime's state-owned 52 Military Industry Commission companies into the new Iraqi Ministry of Science and Technology. He then served as the CPA Deputy Senior Advisor to that ministry, in which role he assisted in the conversion of the Al Tuwaitha nuclear facility, and helped to find new jobs for scientists previously assigned to design and build Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. He served on the CPA’s Iraq Transition Planning Team in June 2004, participating in the handover of authority to the Government of Iraq.
In 2004, Popps became Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. He also served as the Army's Director of Iraq Reconstruction and Program Management, with oversight of the executive agency of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund
Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund
The Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund was established by the US Congress on November 6, 2003. It allocated $18.4 billion to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure, damaged from years of neglect, sanctions, and war....
.
Popps served as Acting United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology
The Office of the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology is known as OASA...
from January 2, 2008 until March 4, 2010. From April to October 2008, he was also a member of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan
Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan
The Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan is an independent, bipartisan commission of the United States government established in 2008 to study government contracting related to the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War.-Background:...
. He retired from government service on April 16, 2010.