AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board announced today that it has named Edward Serna executive director of the state’s newest agency. Serna brings more than 28 years of experience in government and the private sector to the post.
Serna becomes the TxDMV’s first executive director since it began operations November 2, 2009. Currently the Texas Department of Transportation’s assistant executive director for support operations, Serna headed the transition team that moved motor vehicle services from TxDOT to the TxDMV.
A bill that created the TxDMV passed in the last legislative session and was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry in June. Serna oversaw the motor vehicle sections at TxDOT, including the Vehicle Titles and Registration, Motor Vehicle, and Motor Carrier divisions and the Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority office that moved from the transportation department to the TxDMV.
“Ed brings extensive knowledge of the agency’s business as a result of his leadership over much of what the TxDMV does when those services were part of TxDOT,” Vandergriff said. “He also has extensive background in overseeing the administration of the basic building blocks of a state agency, such as human resources, informational technology, facility planning, and industry communication. These services are essential to establishing the TxDMV as a stand-alone enterprise.”
Serna has worked in the government and the information technology field since the 1980s. His vast experience with the Texas legislative process, service on several inter-governmental and professional committees along with expertise in the establishment, management and implementation of statewide policies, contracts and computer systems will enable the TxDMV to move forward at a rapid pace.
“I am honored and grateful to the TxDMV board for giving me the opportunity to be the TxDMV’s first executive director,” Serna said. “I share the board’s commitment to make innovation and technology hallmarks of this customer-centric agency and look forward to working with Chairman Vandergriff and board members as we develop agency policies and business practices that raise the bar for the delivery of government services in Texas.”
Serna will begin overseeing the TxDMV’s day-to-day operations as executive director on February 1. The agency has more than 600 employees.
Before joining TxDOT in 2005, Serna was director of service delivery at the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) where he was responsible for its internal administrative functions and technology contracts.
He has held positions at the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, where he assisted taxpayers and enforced tax laws, and became project manager for the Uniform Statewide Accounting System that created a single financial reporting system for all state agencies. He went on to work for DIR where he developed statewide policies for the acquisition and operation of information technology in state government and later negotiated and managed the state’s first data center master contract. In 2002, he became DIR’s chief operating officer and interim executive director.
Serna also worked for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as that agency’s Office of Administrative Services deputy director where he was responsible for internal operations, including human resources, accounting, budgeting, and technology and support services.
His expertise in state government attracted the attention of Northrop Grumman Information Technology Services, and the private firm hired Serna to be its director of Texas operations to provide data center and other information technology services to Texas state agencies and local governments.
Serna is a graduate of the University of North Texas where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
As executive director of the TxDMV, Serna said he is looking forward to building an agency that will use new technologies to increase customer convenience and serve the state.
The motor vehicle business in Texas generates more than $4 billion annually for the state. The money is deposited into the state highway fund to help build and maintain the state’s transportation system and into the general revenue fund, which legislators use to provide services for all Texans.
Motor vehicle services provided by the TxDMV include registrations (passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and motor carrier operating authority), titling, dealership licensing and regulation, and auto theft prevention. It does not issue driver’s licenses.
For more information on the TxDMV, go to www.TxDMV.gov.
