FTS names deputy commissioner

General Services Administration officials have picked a new deputy commissioner for the Federal Technology Service, one of GSA's three major divisions.

James Williams, former deputy regional administrator for the agency's mid-Atlantic region, was appointed to the post, said FTS Commissioner Sandy Bates. His appointment, announced late Monday, was effective June 24.

Williams had been acting deputy commissioner since last October. Charlie Self, his predecessor, retired last summer. During that time, FTS has come under fire as audits of its regional centers have found abuses and misuses of contracting rules, a crisis that FTS officials have tried to address head-on.

Williams "has acquired a good understanding of our business lines very quickly and has made significant contributions to our organization in the relatively short time he has been with us," Bates said in announcing his appointment. "I am confident that he will prove to be an excellent addition to our FTS leadership team."