Access Control
& Security Systems

John W. Magaw, the acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Security and head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) since Jan. 28, has resigned. No official reason was given for the resignation.

Magaw, whose resignation was accepted by Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, will be replaced by Admiral James M. Loy, former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Loy was recently named chief operating officer of the TSA.

"Admiral Loy is the right man for this job, at the right time," Mineta said. "He already knows the players, the policies and the issues involved in transportation security."

According to The Associated Press, Magaw may have resigned due to personal reasons. Magaw was formerly the head of the Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

"We all owe [Magaw] a debt for his role in the start-up phase of the TSA," Mineta said. "Creating a nationwide system customized to 429 very busy commerical airports is a huge challenge."

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