Border and transportation official Verdery leaving DHS

C. Stewart Verdery Jr., assistant secretary for border and transportation security policy and planning at the Homeland Security Department, is the latest executive to announce his departure for the private sector.

Verdery is joining Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti Inc., a Washington government affairs firm founded in May 2004 by Bruce Mehlman, former assistant secretary of commerce for technology policy, and Alex Vogel, former chief counsel to Senate majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

During his tenure at DHS, Verdery led departmental efforts to implement policies on immigration and visa issuance, cargo security and international trade, transportation security, and law enforcement programs such as counternarcotics.

From 1998 to 2002, he was general counsel to Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), the assistant majority leader. In the private sector prior to entering government service, Verdery was senior legislative counsel for the government affairs and public policy office representing Vivendi Universal.

Mehlman said Friday will be Verdery's last day with DHS, and he will start with the firm March 28.

"Prior to that he's going to take his 2003 summer vacation," Mehlman said.