Defense Department names new CIO

Former JP Morgan CIO Dana Deasy will soon take on same role at the Department of Defense.

“In his position, [Deasy] will be responsible for how we manage and use information, communications and cybersecurity,” DOD spokesperson Dana White told reporters in a news briefing April 5.

“He will also bring greater accountability to the department's information security posture,” White said, while ensuring “a culture of performance” and maximizing taxpayer dollars.

Deasy’s is the latest Trump administration appointment to move current or former industry executives into leadership positions at DOD. He retired from his corporate post in September 2017 after overseeing a $9.5 billion technology budget and pushing JP Morgan’s migration to the public cloud.

Deasy is expected to start his role as DOD CIO in early May.

Essye Miller has been the acting DOD CIO since December 2017, stepping in after John Zangardi moved to the Department of Homeland Security CIO job. while also performing her duties as deputy CIO of cybersecurity. Ed Brindley took over Miller's job of deputy CIO for cybersecurity on an acting basis early this year.

The Pentagon did not indicate what positions Miller or Brindley will take when Deasy takes office in early May, according to the transcript of the briefing. A request for comment to Miller’s office was not immediately returned.

The DOD CIO position has been vacant since February 2017 when Terry Halvorsen stepped down.