Former Microsoft exec to become U.S. Chief Info Officer

Former Microsoft executive Steven VanRoekel will become the next chief information officer for the federal government, according to a White House announcement Thursday.
As federal chief information officer, he is expected to oversee how the government uses information technology, with an eye toward efficiency and transparency.

VanRoekel currently is a director within the U.S. Agency for International Development and formerly served as managing director of the Federal Communications Commission, He also led the FCC's efforts to introduce new technology and social media into the agency, according to the White House news release.
VanRoekel worked at Microsoft from 1994 to 2009, most recently as the senior director for the Windows Server and Tools Division. He also worked at Microsoft as director of web services, as speech and strategy assistant to Bill Gates, and as a support and presales technical advisor, according to his LinkedIn profile.
"We congratulate Steven VanRoekel on this appointment. Steven is a well respected member of the tech community and he is well positioned to carry on the great work started by Vivek Kundra," a Microsoft spokesperson said. "Given the transformative power of new technologies and the challenges CIOs are facing to meld consumer and enterprise technologies, it is a great time to be stepping into this critically strategic role."
VanRoekel succeeds the nation's first federal chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, who is going to Harvard to take a joint appointment at the Kennedy School of Government and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at the law school, according to The New York Times.

Author : Janet I. Tu
Source : theseattlestimes.nwsource.com