Alan Balutis heads to NIST

Alan Balutis, deputy chief information officer at the Commerce Department,

is leaving his position to become the director of the Advanced Technology

Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Balutis takes

up his new post on April 10.

Balutis said it will be "a wonderful opportunity and new challenge"

to work at the "premier" science institution and work with NIST director

Ray Kammer. In his new role, Balutis will oversee the $200 million ATP program,

which funds precompetitive emerging technology.

Balutis, who has been a vocal participant on the Federal CIO Council

and recently was appointed as co-chairman of its e-government committee,

said he "hopes and plans to continue to be involved in the CIO Council's

work in e-government initiatives and hopefully bring some new perspectives"

with respect to NIST's work in such areas as electronic commerce and public-key

infrastructure.

Balutis replaces Lura Powell, former director of the ATP program, who

retired from the federal government Sept. 30, 1999.

According to sources, Jeff Neal, deputy director of the Commerce Department's

office of human resources management, will replace Balutis as deputy CIO.