Microsoft said on Wednesday that it has tapped Thomas Richey, a retired US Coast Guard officer, to fill the new post of federal director of homeland security at the company. After serving for 20 years in the Coast Guard, Richey retired in 2001 and became policy adviser to Democrat senator John Kerry, in whose office he worked on homeland security and other issues.

Microsoft said it created the post in order to help the government manage its IT systems and to make sure the different systems work together.

"Tom's appointment is a significant step in establishing Microsoft as a strategic partner to the government as it evolves its homeland security strategy," Mitra Azizirad, general manager of Microsoft's federal systems, said in a statement.

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