Major General Robert A Harding was nominated March 8 by the Obama Administration to become administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the arm of the Department of Homeland Security that oversees security for all transportation modes.

The nomination came after weeks of speculation over who the White House would name to the long-vacant post of TSA administrator. Harding served 33 years in the US Army and at one point was the Defense Department’s senior human intelligence officer.

Harding seems to be a good choice for the position, according to John Conley, president of National Tank Truck Carriers. “Harding has proven leadership ability, and his intelligence background will be an important asset,” he says. “All in all, Harding seems very qualified, and we need to move forward and get someone in place as the TSA administrator.”

The position of TSA administrator has been vacant since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009. The Obama Administration’s first nominee—Erroll Southers—withdrew from consideration on January 20, just days before he was expected to be confirmed as TSA administrator by the Senate. Southers was under criticism for ordering criminal background checks on the boyfriend of his estranged wife. He was censured by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for that action