FBI Director Announces Top Finance Executive Leaving for Department of Defense

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III today announced that Tina W. Jonas, chief financial officer and assistant director of the Finance Division, will be leaving the FBI effective April 30, 2004. Ms. Jonas has been nominated by President Bush to be the undersecretary of defense at the Department of Defense.

Director Mueller said, “Since she joined the FBI in August, 2002, Tina has guided the FBI budget operations in a tremendously effective way. I know that Tina will continue to serve with the same honor and distinction that she has with us. We wish her all the best.”

During her tenure in the FBI, Ms. Jonas led and initiated a number of reforms to the FBI’s budget and financial processes. Among her accomplishments, she headed the preparation of a historic fiscal year 2005 budget request totaling $5.2 billion emphasizing counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cyber, security, and technology programs. Ms. Jonas tightened the FBI’s asset policies which has greatly enhanced the accountability of FBI property. She also streamlined the FBI’s accounts payable processes, resulting in cost savings and redirection of personnel functions. During her term as the FBI’s chief financial officer, the FBI received unqualified audit opinions for its 2002 and 2003 financial statements.

Prior to joining the FBI, Ms. Jonas served as the deputy undersecretary of defense for Financial Management at the Department of Defense.

She entered government service in 1986 and has served in both the executive and legislative branches of government. Her work includes over a decade of professional budget experience in the national security field.

In the interim, Joseph L. Ford will serve as the FBI’s acting assistant director of the Finance Division.