Lawmakers, industry officials praise Obama's cyber-chief choice

President Obama's selection of Howard Schmidt as the nation's first cybersecurity coordinator garnered a generally favorable response today from lawmakers and industry officials.

"Howard Schmidt has an impressive resume, and I look forward to meeting him and discussing the cyber challenges facing our nation," said Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., co-chairman of the commission that made recommendations to Obama on how to protect U.S. information networks.

Robert Holleyman, president of the Business Software Alliance, said Schmidt will be "a first-rate coordinator, with the exact mix of skills that are needed for the job."

Obama declared in May that U.S. information networks are a strategic asset. But finding a cybersecurity czar became an arduous, months-long process, prompting critics to fear the effort had been placed on the backburner.

A debate continues to simmer in Congress over whether a White House cyber coordinator is needed, although Schmidt's position does not require Senate confirmation.

Schmidt outlined his priorities for the job in a video posted on the White House Web site today.

He said his top goals are developing a comprehensive strategy to secure U.S. networks; ensuring an organized, unified response to future cyber incidents; strengthening public and private partnerships in the United States, as well as international partnerships; promoting research and development of new technologies; and leading a national campaign to promote cybersecurity awareness and education

Schmidt has 40 years of experience in government, business and law enforcement. He served in the administration of George W. Bush as vice chairman of the critical infrastructure protection board and as special adviser for cybersecurity.

He also has served as chief information security officer at eBay and Microsoft. Most recently, he was president of the Information Security Forum, which describes itself as an international nonprofit focused on cyber risk and research.