Chase Garwood, until recently chief information officer for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Homeland Security Department, last week started work as the chief technology officer for US-VISIT (a.k.a. the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program).
The CTO position is a new one at US-VISIT and it marks a return for Garwood, who worked there under CIO Scott Hastings when the office was set up after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to create a system that would check the identity of foreign visitors entering the United States and check when they left. US-VISIT completed the entry part of the system (in 2006), but has yet to complete a system that verifies when a foreigner leaves.
In announcing Garwood's move, US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny wrote in an e-mail:
This is a new position for US-VISIT, and one that we are excited about, as Chase will spur technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities. . . . Chase will [stand] up US-VISIT's first executive-level Chief Technology Office. Chase embodies the technical know-how, is networked with the requisite stakeholders, and understands that horizon thinking and advanced technology will be vital to US-VISIT's big picture strategic planning efforts.
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