About Me
Clinton Austin is a United States Air Force Veteran and has been a collaborative Information Technology (IT) expert for over 25 years. He consistently demonstrates professionalism, a high level of skill, and the ability to adapt and overcome obstacles. Throughout his career, he has provided consulting services to small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and the Department of Defense (DoD). He is recognized as an industry expert in business strategy, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and IT process improvement.
In his current role as a Strategic Business Executive at CDW‑G Federal (since July 2022), Austin has been instrumental in implementing the Program Based Account (PBA) approach, specifically targeting the Department of Defense sector. With a strategic vision spanning 24 months, he collaborates intimately with Account Managers and Account Executives to craft comprehensive go-to-market strategies. Under his leadership, the U.S. Space Book of Business has grown by $30 million within 24 months, and the DoD OCONUS Book of Business has increased by $5 million within 12 months. His “player-coach” philosophy has resulted in numerous team members receiving the prestigious CDWG President’s Award for achieving 10% to 30% growth in their respective market segments.
Austin has established himself as a thought leader through active participation in industry organizations such as AFCEA and the Space Force Association. He has published several influential articles, including “Multiphase Approach to Killing the Living Dead” in AFCEA’s Signals, “Hidden Technical Debt Creates Challenges for Agencies Evolving Their IT Infrastructure” in CDW-G’s Fed Tech Magazine, and “SOF Reflection: Fortifying Security at Home & Abroad” for the Space Force Association. He delivered a keynote speech at the 2023 Sales Kickoff Meeting to over 200 sales professionals, emphasizing the value of developing a two-year strategic focus.
Previously, Austin served as Chief Innovation Officer and Director at Jacobs (October 2020 to May 2022), where he managed over 160 staff members, overseeing $16 million in labor and $36 million in material costs. He successfully boosted the Cybersecurity Team’s staffing from 50% to 90% within two months and revitalized a struggling program in three months, securing Option Year Two funding. As Senior Business Development Principal (February 2019 to October 2020), he played a key role in securing a $1 billion government services contract.
His expertise in Big Data, AI, and ML was developed during his tenure as Data Architect for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) from May 2017 to February 2019, where he co-authored the USSOCOM Data Strategy and Storage Strategy, conducted an in-depth review that reduced 200 IT projects to 60, and served as hiring manager for a $1B contract requiring 1,300 staff.
Before his data architecture role, Austin served in various positions throughout the DoD, including:
- Service Delivery Coordinator for HQ USSOCOM J6 Planning and Engineering Branch (November 2015 to May 2017)
- Senior IT SME/Senior Web Developer for HQ USSOCOM Executive Office Special Reconnaissance, Surveillance & Exploitation programs (July 2011 to November 2015)
- System Engineer for HQ AFSOC SharePoint programs (June 2010 to July 2011)
- Project Lead/Application Developer for HQ AFSOC (April 2008 to May 2010)
- Web Developer/Application Engineer for J2, United States Southern Command (March 2007 to March 2010)
- Communications Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force (March 2000 to February 2007)
Austin holds an Executive MBA from the University of Tampa’s John H. Sykes College of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Internet Systems and Software Technology from Bellevue University. He maintains an active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
With a strong commitment to community involvement, he previously served as Co-President of AFCEA Emerging Leaders (Non-NCR) from April 2020 to February 2022 and Vice President of Membership and Internal Affairs for AFCEA International from May 2018 to April 2020. He is an active member of the American Legion and Free & Accepted Freemasons, and is passionate about mentoring military veterans transitioning into the commercial sector.