Microsoft said today that its longtime head of services and IT, Rick Devenuti, is planning to retire at the end of the year.

Devenuti's staff was informed this morning, a company spokesman said. The 48-year-old, who has been with Microsoft since 1987, is leaving to spend more time with his family. He will stay on to aid in the search for his successor.

Devenuti is a Federal Way native and University of Washington graduate who joined the company after helping it go public when he was with the accounting firm that later became Deloitte & Touche. See Brier Dudley's profile of Devenuti from 2003 for more details.

He spent a signficant chunk of his career as Microsoft's chief information officer, in charge of keeping the company's own IT systems up and running.

Devenuti, a senior vice president, is the second veteran Microsoft executive with Washington roots to end his career at the company in recent months. Brian Valentine left for Amazon.com in September.