Loy replacement picked

President Bush plans to nominate Michael Jackson, former deputy secretary for the Transportation Department, to be the second-in-command of the Homeland Security Department.

Jackson is currently the chief operating officer of the AECOM Technology Corporation's government services group in Fairfax, Va. The company, headquartered in Los Angeles, provides technical professional services, including design, engineering and consulting, program management and construction management and other services.

If confirmed, he would replace Adm. James Loy, the department's deputy secretary, who intends to step down by March 1. Two weeks ago, Bush named Michael Chertoff, a federal appeals court judge to replace outgoing Secretary Tom Ridge.

Before AECOM, Jackson served essentially as the Transportation Department's chief operating officer under Secretary Norman Mineta from 2001 to 2003. Previously, he held several positions, including vice president and general manager of business development and chief operating officer, at Lockheed Martin subsidiary that specialized in providing various services to state and local government agencies. The unit was sold to Affiliated Computer Services in 2001.

From 1993 to 1997, he was senior vice president and counselor to the president of the American Trucking Association where he handled freight, technology and international trade matters.

He was part of George H. W. Bush's administration as special assistant to the president and executive secretary for cabinet liaison. He was also DOT chief of staff to then Transportation Secretary Andrew Card, who is currently Bush's chief of staff, from 1992 to 1993, and a press spokesman and deputy chief of staff to the secretary of the Education Department.

Jackson was a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, and taught political science at the University of Georgia and at Georgetown University. He graduated with honors from the University of Houston and received a doctorate in political science from Georgetown University.