USDA's Charbo nominated for DHS CIO

Scott Charbo, the Agriculture Department’s chief information officer, is President Bush's pick to be the Homeland Security Department’s next CIO.

Bush administration officials announced today the president's intention to nominate Charbo to replace Steve Cooper, DHS' most recent CIO who resigned April 30.

Before leading USDA’s information technology operations, Charbo was the department’s director of the Office of Business and Program Integration at the Farm Service Agency. Before that, Charbo worked in the private sector. He was president of mPower3/Emerge, a ConAgra Foods company, in which he integrated technology into farming.

Since Cooper left, Rear Adm. Ronald Hewitt, the Coast Guard's assistant commandant for command, control, communications, computers and IT, has been DHS’ acting deputy CIO.