Rear Admiral Bartz currently serves as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Department of Homeland Security. In this capacity, he oversees the planning, programming, and budgeting of information systems, data management, technology integration, operations, cybersecurity, and customer experience for the Department.
Rear Admiral Bartz previously served as U.S. Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology (CG-6) and Chief Information Officer. He was responsible for the implementation and sustainment of technology solutions for all the Service’s ships, boats, aircraft and shore installations.
His first tour as a Flag Officer was as the Director of Training and Exercises (J7) at U.S. Cyber Command. There he developed joint training and readiness standards and orchestrated large-scale exercises for active duty and reserve cyber mission forces, partner nations, government agencies, and private industry.
Rear Admiral Bartz served in several key leadership positions that enabled technology to greatly enhance maritime missions. He served as the Coast Guard’s Chief Information Security Officer, where he established policies and procedures focused on enhancing cybersecurity in the Service. He was the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard’s Operation’s System Center, where he led software development efforts for 55 enterprise software applications and oversaw the Service’s enterprise data center. Serving as the Chief of C4 and IT Capabilities, he generated and managed information system requirements for afloat, aviation and shore-based assets.
Rear Admiral Bartz currently serves as the 27th Ancient Albatross, the Coast Guard’s longest serving active-duty aviator. During his career, he accumulated over 3,300 hours of helicopter flight time and was credited with over 120 search and rescue cases, resulting in 60 persons saved or assisted. He is a designated Coast Guard Aeronautical Engineer and served in a variety of worldwide assignments. He participated in the response to Hurricane Katrina as well as the response following the tragic explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon Mobile Drilling Unit in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rear Admiral Bartz earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture from the Coast Guard Academy; a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Alabama; and holds a certificate in Enterprise Architecture from the National Defense University. He is certified DHS Level 3 Program Manager and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.
His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (three awards), and various other personal and unit awards.