NSC Staffer John Ficklin Retires

John W. Ficklin retired last month from his position as Senior Director for Records and Access Management at the National Security Council. In that capacity he was responsible for declassification of White House records, among other records management duties. He also chaired an interagency classification reform committee that met (and still meets) to consider improvements in classification practices.

Mr. Ficklin was the subject of a moving profile in the Washington Post yesterday. See “Long White House tradition nears end for a family descended from a slave” by Juliet Eilperin, February 7.

His successor at the National Security Council is John P. Fitzpatrick, the former director of the Information Security Oversight Office. On the occasion of Mr. Fitzpatrick’s appointment, the title of the NSC position has been changed to reflect an expanded portfolio of security policy issues. He is now the Senior Director for Records Access and Information Security Management.

A new director of the Information Security Oversight Office has not yet been named.