Comings and Goings

Every Wednesday on GovExec.com, Comings and Goings announces the arrivals and departures of top federal managers and executives. To submit an announcement, e-mail it to webmaster@govexec.com or fax it to 202-739-8511.

C O M I N G S

The Internal Revenue Service is getting four new faces at the top of its management team. W. Val Oveson, now chairman of the Utah State Tax Commission, will be the new taxpayer advocate. Kansas revenue secretary John LaFaver is taking on the newly created deputy commissioner for modernization position. The new deputy commissioner for operations position will be filled by Bob Wenzel, currently the IRS chief operations officer. Consultant Paul J. Cosgrove, who has been working with the IRS since earlier this summer on information technology issues, will be the IRS' new chief information officer.

The Transportation Department's Maritime Administration has a new chief: Clyde J. Hart, Jr. Hart has been senior Democratic counsel for the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine since 1994. Before that, he spent 14 years at the Interstate Commerce Commission, and served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1969. Hart succeeds retired Adm. Albert J. Herberger at the Maritime Administration.

Kelley S. Coyner is now officially administrator of the Transportation Department's Research and Special Programs Administration. Coyner has been with the administration since 1994, first as director of the office of policy and program support, then as deputy administrator, and finally as acting administrator since last year.

G O I N G S

Former Office of Management and Budget Director Franklin Raines, who left for Fannie Mae earlier this year, has taken his former special assistant with him. Jill Blickstein is off to Fannie Mae to be director of corporate development.

Immigration and Naturalization Service director of communications Eric C. Andrus has tired of defending the troubled agency from all sides. He's gone to Robinson Lerer & Montgomery, a New York-based public relations firm. Another INS press person, Karen Kraushaar, has also left INS. She has become director of media relations at the National Restaurant Association.

New York Life International has brought on Sandra Jeanne Kristoff as a senior vice president. Kristoff has been a special assistant to the President and senior director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council since 1996. Kristoff's 22-year government career also included stints at the State Department, the U.S. Trade Representative, the National Economic Council and the Commerce Department.