President Obama, on Saturday, named Aneesh Chopra as the federal government's first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), a move that drew a positive response from the technology industry.

Chopra, the Virginia Technology Secretary since 2006, and a former managing director with the Advisory Board Co., will be part of a group of administration advisers responsible for enhancing and modernizing the delivery of government services. He will work closely with federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, who is in charge of setting technology policy across the government, and using technology to improve security, ensure transparency, and lower costs.

"Aneesh will promote technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities--from creating jobs and reducing healthcare costs to keeping our nation secure," Obama said in his Saturday radio the address.

Chopra's appointment drew praise from many tech quarters. TechAmerica president Phil Bond said in a statement, "He has championed policies that enable better government and a stronger economy through use of technology." Robert Holleyman, president and CEO of the Business Software Alliance, called Chopra "a superb choice."

Mitch Kapor, the Lotus Development Corp. founder, said Chopra's experience in Virginia "has provided highly relevant preparation for this new role, and I am confident he will be a major asset to the administration," Google CEO Eric Schmidt, in a statement, added that Chopra "built one of the best technology platforms in government in the state of Virginia."

For more on the new CTO:
- see this Wall Street Journal article