Commerce Senior Manager Alan Balutis To Head Advanced Technology Program

The Commerce Department has named Alan P. Balutis, a 21-year veteran with the department, to be director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program. Balutis replaces Lura Powell, who directed the program from 1995 until her retirement in September 1999.

In announcing the appointment, Secretary of Commerce William M. Daley said, "As director of the ATP, Alan Balutis will manage a unique research and development program aimed at strengthening and advancing the economic interests of the United States by encouraging the pursuit of high-risk, path-breaking new technologies. He brings a valuable blend of managerial experience and technical savvy to one of Commerce's most important technology programs."

The ATP provides cost-shared funding to industry-led R&D; projects that are selected for their innovation, risk and potential broad impact on the economy. The ATP currently manages a portfolio of over 200 active research projects and has been instrumental in the development of such varied technologies as improved automobile assembly systems, tools for parallel-processing software, miniaturized DNA analysis "chips," manufacturing technologies for the use of polymer composites in large structures, and process-control and fabrication technologies for the semiconductor industry.

One of the Commerce Department's senior managers, Balutis has held several key positions including director of the Office of Systems and Special Projects (1983-84); director of the Office of Management and Organization (1984-87); director for Budget, Planning and Organization (1987-94); director for Budget, Management and Information; and deputy chief information officer (1994-2000).

In his most recent position, he was responsible for information technology management at DoC and supervised a budget of over $1.1 billion. He created the first major IT systems oversight board in the government.

Balutis was the first recipient of the Annual Commerce Award for Outstanding Management and received the Silver Medal (1983) and the Gold Medal (1986)—the department's two highest honors. He also is a recipient of two Presidential Rank Awards (1988 and 1995). In 1998, he was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Further information on the Advanced Technology Program is available on-line at www.atp.nist.gov.

As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, NIST strengthens the U.S. economy and improves the quality of life by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards through four partnerships: the Advanced Technology Program, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Measurement and Standards Laboratories, and the Baldrige National Quality Program,