JPMorgan Veteran Tapped to Advise on SSA Modernization

Former JPMorgan executive Matt Zames has been tapped by the Trump administration to serve in an unpaid advisory role at the Social Security Administration (SSA) as part of its modernization effort. The SSA, which administers retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits for tens of millions of Americans, has long relied on aging computer systems that have been described as outdated.

Zames will assist his former JPMorgan colleague and current SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano in efforts to update the agency's operations and legacy technology infrastructure. With a background in financial services and technology, Zames brings substantial expertise to the role, having served as chief operating officer at JPMorgan Chase, where he oversaw the bank's technology and operations strategy.

The appointment is part of the administration's broader push to bring private-sector expertise into federal agencies. While the specific scope of Zames' advisory duties remains unclear, his presence suggests that the SSA may be exploring more aggressive operational changes as it modernizes its systems and processes.