Spires named new CIO at DHS

Richard Spires has been appointed as the Homeland Security Department’s new chief information officer.

As DHS’ new top information technology official, Spires will be responsible for managing the department's information management support processes, DHS said. He will also oversee the billions DHS component agencies spend each year on IT programs and lead ongoing efforts designed to integrate the IT infrastructure of DHS’ agencies.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said July 28 that Spires has “an impressive record of managing large-scale IT programs.”

DHS said Spires has served as the Internal Revenue Service’ deputy commissioner for operations support, chief information officer and associate chief information officer for business systems modernization.

Spires will take over for Margaret Graves, DHS’ deputy CIO, who has been acting as chief information officer since Richard Mangogna, a Bush administration appointee, stepped down from the post earlier this year.