Hastings named CIO at INS

In one of his last actions before leaving office, Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner James Ziglar has named Scott Hastings the agency's chief information officer.

Hastings will replace George Bohlinger as the agency's CIO. Bohlinger has worn a number of hats, serving as chief financial officer and the agency's executive associate commissioner for management — jobs he will continue to hold.

Hastings has been the associate commissioner for information resources management since May 2001. Prior to that, he was assistant commissioner for records and the director of files and forms management. He also has served as special assistant to the executive associate commissioner for management.

In 2001, Hastings led his information technology team, which included representatives from the private sector, to create ATLAS, a blueprint to replace the INS' aging infrastructure. The plan covers IT support, how to acquire services, and how to share information with other agencies and offices.

More recently, he has been detailed to the Office of Homeland Security to help develop the new department that President Bush signed into law last week. INS will become part of the new department as part of the federal government's reorganization to fight terrorism.

Hastings' "long tenure with the INS has provided him with in-depth knowledge of the INS organization and its information technology requirements," Ziglar said in a memo last week. "This will serve the INS well as we move to the Department of Homeland Security."

Ziglar announced Aug. 16 that he will step down at the end of this month. Michael Garcia has been named acting INS commissioner. He currently is the assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement at the Commerce Department.