California picks new CIO

<FONT SIZE=2>&#009;J. Clark Kelso was appointed chief information officer and special adviser on information technology by California Gov. Gray Davis. </FONT>

J. Clark Kelso was appointed chief information officer and special adviser on information technology by California Gov. Gray Davis.

Kelso will provide leadership on IT policy and for working with other IT leaders throughout the state government. He also will continue to lead the Information Technology Management Initiative, established by Davis in May, and will make recommendations to Davis for the oversight, procurement, management and operations of the state's IT systems.

Kelso served briefly as the interim director of the California Department of Information Technology before it was shut down June 30. The agency lost the confidence of the state legislature after department officials last year signed a controversial six-year, $95 million software enterprise licensing agreement with Oracle Corp. of Redwood Shores, Calif.

The ensuing controversy resulted in the resignation of three top officials, including former state CIO Elias Cortez. Oracle Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles agreed to rescind the deal in July.

NEXT STORY: Coast Guard taps GD