New AMS Chief Takes Charge

The new chairman and chief executive officer for American Management Systems Inc. spent his first day on the job talking about customer satisfaction. But one disgruntled customer vowed to continue its legal battle against the Fairfax, Va., systems integrator.

Alfred Mockett spent Dec. 3 in Toronto talking to customers as part of his emphasis on improving AMS' customers' satisfaction. He said he plans to invest more resources into tracking and evaluating customer satisfaction.

The same day, one of AMS' Washington customers, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, announced it would press ahead with a $350 million lawsuit against the company. The thrift board filed suit in July, alleging that AMS had botched a contract to create a customized record-keeping system. The thrift board case was dismissed Nov. 30 by a district court, but the agency said Dec. 3 it would appeal the ruling.

Mockett succeeds William Purdy, who served as interim CEO and president since the retirement of Chairman and CEO Paul Brands. Purdy is still AMS president and has now become chief operating officer of the company.

Mockett, 52, was CEO of BT Ignite, the broadband and Internet services business of British Telecommunications plc.