John Quinn will be leaving his job as Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Digital Services (ADS) later this month to work in the private sector, Gov. Phil Scott’s office announced today.

Quinn is going to work for Government Sourcing Solutions, described by the trade magazine State Scoop as “a consulting firm that advises tech vendors on dealing with state and local governments’ procurement processes.”

Secretary Quinn was first appointed by Governor Scott as chief innovation officer upon taking office in January 2017. He was named the first secretary of ADS after Executive Order 06-17 came into effect in April of 2017, which established the new Agency.

In 2021, Quinn earned $148,091 – a low salary compared to most other private-sector cybersecurity executive positions. The press release does not say where Quinn will be working. Quinn, a Berlin resident, also has served on the local selectboard.

“Secretary Quinn has done a great job leading this new Agency, working to better coordinate efforts across state government, break down silos, make government more efficient and deliver better customer service,” said Governor Scott. “I wish John the best in his next chapter and thank him for his commitment and service to Vermont.”

“I want to thank Governor Scott for the opportunity to serve Vermont as the State CIO and secretary of digital services. It’s been an honor to lead such a talented group of IT professionals,” said Secretary Quinn. “I’m extremely proud of the major improvements to our cybersecurity posture and partnerships we’ve created to protect Vermonters’ data. We’ve reduced the number of different computer programs from 1,500 down to 1,100, saving millions of dollars for Vermont taxpayers, and we’ve utilized our employees across the organization to put the right skill sets on the priorities of the state, breaking down silos that had always prevented us from better utilizing our resources. The past five years have been the highlight of my professional career. I was lucky to be supported by a Governor and team that were focused on making the long-term improvements to digital services that Vermonters wanted and depend on.”

As secretary of ADS, Quinn played a critical role in working to integrate IT and digital assets across state agencies, break down silos and make state government more efficient.

The Agency was instrumental in the response to COVID-19, standing up over 30 new digital government programs to bring services to Vermonters in need. The ADS Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Application (PUA) was built in less than two weeks, making Vermont one of the fastest states in the country to get checks out to struggling Vermonters.

Since 2018, ADS has saved taxpayers over $30 million by reducing applications, better utilizing resources, and leveraging the state’s buying power with master IT contracts.

This biennium, ADS secured over $133 million for modernizing government services, including funding for a new DMV system and unemployment insurance system, and establishing Vermont’s first ever IT modernization fund.

Deputy Secretary Shawn Nailor will lead the ADS until a permanent secretary is named.