Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced the appointment of Pedro Allende as Secretary of the Department of Management Services, a state agency that handles a wide range of business operations, such as real estate, purchasing, and human resources.

Prior to his appointment, Allende, an attorney by trade, served on Florida’s Cybersecurity Advisory Council. Allende oversaw policy efforts to increase federal, state, and local preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities while serving as the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience Policy.

Allende led policy development to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure from physical, natural, and cyber threats.

“I am pleased to appoint Pedro Allende as Secretary of the Department of Management Services,” said DeSantis. “His knowledge and experience protecting critical infrastructure against cybersecurity threats will bolster our efforts to protect Floridians’ data and keep our communities safe.”

Allende also worked as a senior adviser for the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response at the US Department of Energy. Allende’s “knowledge and expertise safeguarding critical infrastructure against cybersecurity attacks will boost our efforts to secure Floridians’ data and keep our communities safe,” according to a prepared statement by DeSantis.

The position was open after former DMS Secretary Todd Inman announced his resignation in order to take a position in Washington. In a letter to DeSantis, Inman said his last day will be July 15 while also praising the department’s accomplishments and staff members.

“They are (poised) to continue delivering exceptional service to the citizens of Florida in the years to come,” wrote Inman.

On June 23, DeSantis tapped DMS to enter into rulemaking to implement the provisions of the newly-signed Senate Bill 1808, which prohibits governmental entities, including state agencies and local governments, from contracting with common carriers who knowingly transport illegal aliens into Florida.

“Floridians’ tax dollars should not go to corporations that facilitate the international human smuggling operation encouraged by the Biden administration,” said the governor. “I was proud to sign Senate Bill 1808 to protect our state from the effects of Biden’s Border Crisis.”