Sonny Bhagowalia, assistant commissioner for information and technology and chief information officer at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, has received the 2026 Wash100 Award, marking his second recognition on Executive Mosaic’s annual list of the most influential leaders in government and government contracting.
Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, presented the honor to Bhagowalia during a recent visit to CBP’s office in Ashburn, Virginia. The visit included discussions on cybersecurity challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security and CBP, with Bhagowalia extending a warm welcome to Garrettson and the EM team at the agency’s office.
During the visit, Bhagowalia presented Garrettson with a CBP challenge coin, noting that the coins are reserved for individuals deemed worthy of the honor. He also shared insights into the scale of the nation’s cyber defense landscape, including the roughly 150 million cyberattack attempts DHS works to deflect each day.
Why Did Sonny Bhagowalia Win the 2026 Wash100 Award?
Bhagowalia was selected for his leadership in advancing IT modernization, cybersecurity and data-driven transformation efforts at CBP, helping strengthen border security operations and mission delivery.
Garrettson highlighted Bhagowalia’s long-standing impact across federal, state and industry roles, as well as his ability to deliver secure, reliable IT systems supporting national priorities.
“CIO Bhagowalia has distinguished himself through sustained success across a variety of roles in federal service,” Garrettson said. “As CBP CIO, he delivers secure and reliable IT services that help safeguard U.S. borders and improve the nation’s economic prosperity.”
He also pointed to Bhagowalia’s previous leadership roles, including CIO positions at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior, along with his work as Hawaii’s first CIO modernizing the state’s technology infrastructure.
“CIO Bhagowalia has one of the most impressive backgrounds in federal service and we’re certain that track record will continue in 2026,” Garrettson added.
Under Bhagowalia’s leadership, CBP has advanced adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and post-quantum cryptography to enhance mission support, strengthen cybersecurity posture and improve situational awareness across border operations.
He has also emphasized responsible AI use in law enforcement and developed a multiyear digital modernization strategy focused on agility, security and operational efficiency.
Who Is Sonny Bhagowalia?
Bhagowalia is a veteran technology executive with more than four decades of experience spanning federal government, state government and industry.
As CBP CIO, he oversees a workforce of thousands of federal employees and contractors and manages an IT budget of approximately $2 billion, supporting the agency’s 24/7 mission to safeguard U.S. borders and facilitate lawful trade and travel.
Prior to CBP, he held CIO roles at multiple federal agencies and served as the first CIO for the state of Hawaii, where he led a large-scale modernization of legacy systems. He also spent over a decade at Boeing, contributing to major aerospace and federal programs.
What Is the Wash100 Award?
Established in 2014, the Wash100 Award recognizes the most influential leaders across government, industry and the GovCon sector. Winners are selected based on their leadership, innovation and impact on federal missions and technology priorities.
Read Bhagowalia’s full 2026 Wash100 profile to know more about his achievements and contributions to CBP.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Sonny Bhagowalia on his 2026 Wash100 Award win.
