Government Technology

White House Appoints Howard Schmidt as First Cyber-Security Coordinator


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Howard Schmidt, federal Cyber-Security Coordinator/Photo courtesy of the White House
Howard Schmidt, federal Cyber-Security Coordinator

December 22, 2009 By

represents the federal government's push to take cyber-security seriously, said Seth Kulakow, Colorado's CISO.

Broad Perspective

With his private and public experience, Kulakow added, Schmidt brings a unique perspective to the movement.

"He understands procurement and sole sourcing," he said. "It gives him a credibility that you wouldn't get if you've chosen someone who just has a public-sector life. It brings a nice mix to the field."

His resumé also caught the attention of other interested groups, who see his extensive background as a tool for collaboration, a crucial component for developing programs and implementing cyber-security measures.

According to The Blog @ Homeland Security, "Howard has demonstrated the ability to work across government regardless of party, and across industry, for many years," wrote Phil Reitinger, the deputy under secretary of the National Protection and Programs Directorate and director of the National Cybersecurity Center. "It is hard to find someone in the cyber-security community with whom Howard has not worked."

Phillip J. Bond, president of TechAmerica, sent a congratulatory letter to Obama on behalf of the company's 1,500 members and the technology industry at large, stating that the appointment of Schmidt signals a push for partnerships.

"We have long advocated for such a position in order to truly leverage the partnership of government and industry to simultaneously drive innovation in information technology and advancements in efforts to secure the national asset that is our digital infrastructure," Bond wrote. "Your selection of Howard Schmidt to serve in this role is a very strong and valued signal that this is a challenge for government and industry to solve together."


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