Information Security News: Cybersecurity chief quits after unusual contract expires

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/15586222.htm

Sept. 22, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration's cybersecurity chief, who 
worked under an unusual agreement with a private university that does 
extensive business with the office he manages, is leaving his job.

Donald ``Andy'' Purdy Jr. will step down as acting director of the 
National Cyber Security Division, part of the Department of Homeland 
Security. A government spokesman, Jarrod Agen, declined to comment on 
Purdy's plans, but colleagues circulated an invitation to his farewell 
party next week.

Purdy worked at Homeland Security under a two-year contract with 
Carnegie Mellon University that expires Oct. 3. Under the contract, the 
government paid Purdy $245,481 in salary and benefits each year, not 
including travel reimbursements; Carnegie Mellon paid him an additional 
$43,320 a year.

His contract drew congressional scrutiny after The Associated Press 
reported in June that Purdy's cybersecurity division has paid Carnegie 
Mellon $19 million in contracts this year, almost one-fifth the unit's 
total budget.

Purdy, who controlled a budget of about $107 million and as many as 44 
full-time federal employees, said at the time he was not involved in 
discussions over his own office's business deals with the school.

Agen said Purdy's job was being converted to a full-time federal 
position -- which would pay an annual salary of about $130,000 -- but 
Agen could not say whether Purdy was a candidate for that job. He said 
the government was in the final stages of hiring Purdy's replacement.

Earlier this week, the government announced it has selected trade 
industry executive Greg Garcia as the department's new assistant 
secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications. He will oversee the 
division and the hiring of Purdy's successor. Garcia did not respond to 
telephone messages from the AP.


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