The U.S. Senate has confirmed retired Rear Adm. David Stone as assistant secretary of Homeland Security for the Transportation Security Administration, the agency announced recently.

Stone, who was named acting administrator of TSA Dec. 4, 2003, was nominated by President George W. Bush April 8. The confirmation vote was July 22.

The position was previously filled by Adm. James Loy, who now serves as deputy secretary of Homeland Security.

Stone retired from the U.S. Navy in 2002. Before he was named acting administrator at TSA, he served as the agency’s deputy chief of staff, a post he went to in August 2003. He has also served as the first federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport.

The TSA was created in November 2001 as a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation charged with overseeing security in the nation’s transportation systems. After the creation of the Homeland Security Department, it was moved to that agency.

--by Mark H. Reddig, associate editor

Mark Reddig can be reached at mark_reddig@landlinemag.com