OPM's pay raise champion leaving

Henry Romero, associate director for workforce compensation and performance at the Office of Personnel Management, will retire from the federal government April 1 to take a job with San Diego County, Calif.

Romero was instrumental in pushing through the information technology pay raise that about 33,000 IT workers in government received beginning in January.

After nearly three and a half years with OPM, Romero will move to California to become the human resources manager for classification, compensation and benefits for San Diego County's human resources department.

Before moving to OPM in October 1997, Romero had spent three years as the director of personnel at the Justice Department, and had also worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. From 1969 to 1991, he held various positions with the Navy.

An OPM spokesman said no temporary or permanent replacement had been named for Romero.