ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT ANNOUNCES VANCE HITCH
AS CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

WASHINGTON, DC – Attorney General John Ashcroft today named Vance Hitch the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Department of Justice. The Department's CIO is responsible for leading and implementing the effective and efficient acquisition and management of information technology across the Department.

"A critical element in our battle against the terrorist threat is the effective use of information technology to share information across law enforcement," Ashcroft said. "Van has extensive experience in working with government at all levels. I welcome the opportunity to work with him in advancing the capacity of the Department to carry out our critical mission."

Improving and expanding the Department's use of information technology is a key component of the Attorney General's Department-wide wartime reorganization and restructuring plan, announced on November 8, 2001. In laying out his top ten management goals for the Department, Ashcroft called for developing an Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan that would provide direction for the Department's future IT investments. The new CIO will lead that effort.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Attorney General and the men and women of the Department of Justice at this critical time in our nation's history," said Hitch. "Technology is a tremendous asset in this new war. I look forward to working with law enforcement at every level to ensure that they have the right tools to enable their efforts in the battle against terrorism."

Prior to coming to the Department of Justice, Hitch was a Senior Partner with Accenture. He has 28 years of experience in leading government organizations successfully through major change initiatives. His recent projects at Accenture included the development of the IT Strategic Plan for the State of Maryland and a comprehensive re-engineering and automation of the City of Philadelphia's Records Department. Other government organizations that Hitch has worked with include the Department of State, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice and multiple state and local governments.

Hitch earned a Masters of Systems Management from George Washington University in 1973 and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Muhlenberg College in 1967. He served in the United States Navy from 1969-1973, attaining the rank of lieutenant.

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