Organizations need experienced leadership to guide them through trials such as economic slowdowns, digital transformation, and cyber-attacks. These CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs have been chosen for the job for their best-in-class experience and skills. Congratulations to all of these technology leaders as they move into their new roles!
Nandu Gandhi – Chief Information and Technology Officer at Focus Brands
Focus Brands, the Atlanta-based food service developer and parent company of iconic brands Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s, has named Nandu Gandhi as Chief Information and Technology Officer. Prior to this role, Gandhi held various leadership positions at companies including Capri Holdings Limited, Macy’s, Infosys, and The Home Depot. Gandhi will lead the company’s global digital transformation efforts and will enable continued scaling of their best-in-class shared services platform for Focus Brands.
Angela Dowd – Chief Information Officer at Burns & Levinson
Burns & Levinson, a full-service, Boston-based law firm with more than 125 attorneys in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, recently elevated Angela Dowd to Chief Information Officer (CIO). Dowd will be moving into her new role as CIO following 23 years of service to Burns & Levinson in their IT Department. In a LinkedIn post announcing the new role, Dowd said “I am very excited for this opportunity and grateful to work at a firm that has supported and encouraged my professional growth over many years!”
Larry Combs – Chief Information Officer and Director of Supply Chain Integration and Strategy at Brown‑Forman Corporation
Larry Combs has been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Information Officer and Director of Supply Chain Integration and Strategy at Brown‑Forman Corporation. In this new role, Combs will be responsible for the strategic direction of the company’s application technologies, portfolio management, enterprise architecture, and data and analytics strategy and framework. Combs has been with Brown-Forman for 31 years as Global Quality Director; Vice President, Production Services; and Senior Vice President, Technical Services.
Kevin Hiler – Chief Information Officer at PopHealthCare
PopHealthCare recently appointed Kevin Hiler as Chief Information Officer. He brings over 20 years of experience in areas including IT leadership, organizational transformation, merger/acquisition/carve-out implementation, and IT applications management. Prior to joining PopHealthCare, Hiler was the Vice President of Technology Solutions at FirstLight Home Care, where he led all technology strategy, management, and operations for the company across 36 states.
Shauna Conway – Chief Information Officer at TA Realty
TA Realty LLC, a provider of real estate investment management services to U.S. and non-U.S. institutional investors, recently appointed Shauna Conway as Chief Information Officer. As CIO, she will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic technology vision leveraging innovative solutions while leading the firm’s corporate technology, cybersecurity, and data strategies. Over her nearly 20-year career, Conway has served in strategic IT leadership roles for Beacon Capital Partners, State Street Global Advisors, Loomis, and Sayles & Company, among others.
Jared Price – Chief Information Officer at American Municipal Power, Inc.
American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) has promoted Jared Price from Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to Chief Information Officer (CIO). In a recent press release, Branndon Kelley, the company’s new Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), said, “A proven leader, Jared always considers AMP Members in his decision-making process. I am confident there is no one more prepared to take on the role of CIO and I am eager to see him succeed in this new role.” As CIO, Price will report to Kelley and will provide oversight for all IT functions, including all data centers and technical service centers and all computer systems operations across the organization.
Charles Armstrong – Chief Information Officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has appointed Charles Armstrong as the agency’s new Chief Information Officer. Armstrong brings 32 years of leadership experience in IT operations and management, including tenures with the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and E2.71 Advisory Services, a federal government IT firm that he founded. As CIO for FEMA, Armstrong will work to empower the agency’s workforce through information technology initiatives including protecting their data and systems, improving transparency across operations, and enhancing IT workforce capabilities.
John Orlando – Chief Technology Transformation Officer at Water Street Healthcare Partners
Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic investor focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, announced John Orlando as Chief Technology Transformation Officer. Orlando brings over 30 years of experience as a technology leader which he will utilize in his new role at the firm to develop and implement technology strategies that address key business needs and objectives. In a recent press release, Orlando said, “I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge and experience to support Water Street’s work focused on building companies of greater long-term value that are meaningfully contributing to the health care industry.”
Nicholas Kathmann – Chief Information Security Officer at LogicGate
LogicGate, a leading provider of transformative risk and compliance solutions through its Risk Cloud® platform, has appointed Nicholas Kathmann as Chief Information Security Officer. Kathmann brings over 20 years of enterprise security experience, most recently serving as Director of Cybersecurity at Dell Technologies, where he was responsible for overall security operations and the delivery of xStreamCare Services™ for security and compliance. In a LinkedIn post announcing the role, Kathmann said, “I am beyond excited to announce that I’ve joined LogicGate as the Chief Information Security Officer. Together with the amazing functionality that LogicGate Risk Cloud offers, I’m thrilled to be part of the company and help ourselves and our customers accelerate their path to cybersecurity maturity.”
Pierrette McIntire – Chief Information Officer for the EEOC
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) promoted Pierrette McIntire to Chief Information Officer (CIO). McIntire has been with the EEOC for over 34 years, most recently serving as the Commission’s Chief Information Security Officer for the last 16 years and the Deputy Chief Information Officer. “The EEOC is fortunate to have Pierrette McIntire in this important role,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows on McIntire’s appointment. “Her experience, expertise, and commitment to our mission make her well equipped to guide the continued growth and evolution of the EEOC’s technology programs.”
Danny Johnson – Chief Technology Officer at Panorama Education
Panorama Education, an education technology company that helps students achieve academic success and well-being, named Danny Johnson as Chief Technology Officer. As CTO, Johnson will be responsible for leading and growing the engineering organization that builds the Panorama platform, setting and executing Panorama’s technology strategy, and driving ambitious product development. He brings more than 25 years of industry experience, recently serving as Vice President of Product Management and Software Engineering, Platform, and Applications at Ridgeline.
Richard Del Valle – Chief Information Officer at Bojangles’ Restaurants, Inc.
Richard Del Valle has been chosen as the new Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Bojangles’ Restaurants, Inc. In the company’s press release, Chief Operating Officer David Whitaker said, “Richard’s background lines up seamlessly with Bojangles and where we’re headed, and his experience in operations and franchise support align with our strategy and growth plans…We’re excited to bring him on board and tap into his strategic leadership and specialized expertise in IT operations as our beloved brand continues to grow.” Prior to joining Bojangles, Del Valle served in various leadership roles for well-known brands including Wild Wing Café, Outback Steakhouse, and Friendly’s Restaurants. Del Valle will help the company to achieve operational efficiency and modernize their technological capabilities as CIO.
Joseph Sarci – Chief Information Officer at First Republic Bank
First Republic Bank has promoted Joseph Sarci to the role of Chief Information Officer. Originally hired as Deputy Chief Information Officer in October of 2018, Sarci was recruited to provide strategic C-level leadership to build a world-class tech culture around technology transformation, organization & operational excellence, and workplace productivity, as well as to kickstart other key initiatives. He brings over 39 years of industry experience in total, having served in strategic leadership roles at companies including Capgemini, JPMorgan Chase, Freddie Mac, TIAA Bank, and Trustmark Bank.
Jayan Eledath – Chief Technology Officer at ShortTok
ShortTok, an early-stage software company developing automated visual storytelling technologies, announced Jayan Eledath as Chief Technology Officer. He joins ShortTok after serving 7 years as the Director of Applied Science at Amazon, where he led the teams that developed the state-of-the-art computer vision and deep learning for Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology. In a recent press release, Eledath said, “This is an exciting time to be at the intersection of AI and video understanding. I love ShortTok’s vision of building responsible automation that enables our customers to tell rich visual stories that are both entertaining and factual.”
Meetesh Karia – Chief Technology Officer at Earnest
Earnest, a fintech company dedicated to making higher education accessible and affordable for everyone, appointed Meetesh Karia as Chief Technology Officer. As CTO, Karia will help evolve the company’s technology strategy, platform, and delivery to support more holistic, innovative, and reliable customer experiences. Karia brings over 25 years of technology and product development experience, most recently having worked at the insuretech company Zebra, where he spent the last 10 years as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Data Officer.
Lauren Woods – Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has promoted Lauren Woods to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Woods has been with Southwest since 2010 and has led key initiatives across Southwest’s Technology Department, supporting the Company’s Digital and Customer Channels and various Operations Teams and Platforms. She established cloud infrastructure, creating a new development and delivery platform for complex application ecosystems. In her new role, Woods will play an important role in managing the airline’s technology investments, upgrades, and system maintenance. Prior to joining Southwest, Woods worked in the management consulting firm Diamond Management & Technology (now PWC) with clients such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Travelers Insurance.
Kuldip Mohanty – Chief Information Officer for the State of North Dakota
Kuldip Mohanty has been named Chief Information Officer for the State of North Dakota. Mohanty joins the State of North Dakota after having served as CIO for Hub International for the last three years, where he spearheaded a cultural and organizational transformation to build a business-aligned agile IT organization. In a response to a recent LinkedIn post, he said, “It is a privilege to work with Team ND. Looking forward to collaborating and delivering value to citizens of North Dakota.”
Ali Dasdan – Chief Technology Officer at ZoomInfo
ZoomInfo, a global leader in modern go-to-market software, data, and intelligence, has appointed Ali Dasdan as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Dasdan will oversee the company’s innovation and development efforts, including leading the product-led growth organization focused on bringing the power of the ZoomInfo platform to more users. He brings a broad range of industry experience having worked as Director of Engineering at eBay and Yahoo, Inc., Head and VP of Engineering, Data and Marketing Automation at Tesco PLC, and most recently as Head of Engineering at Atlassian. In a recent press release announcing his hire, Dasdan said, “I’m inspired by the opportunity to scale ZoomInfo’s platforms, products, and processes. Successful engineering organizations are powered by talented people with a passion to do great things, and I see that across the company. I look forward to advancing ZoomInfo’s vision to further establish itself as a necessity for go-to-market teams everywhere.”
Raj Bhavsar – Chief Technology Officer at Sandata
Sandata, a leading U.S. provider of technology to improve easy collaboration between Medicaid payers and providers to deliver care, has announced Raj Bhavsar as Chief Technology Officer. As CTO, Bhavsar will be responsible for leading both the Product and Engineering teams with a focus on accelerating the delivery of new and enhanced solutions to Sandata’s customers. Bhavsar has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry on both the provider side and the payer side of healthcare, and most recently worked as CTO for Relatient, where he led all aspects of technology for their patient engagement platform.
Jon Sigmon – Chief Information Officer at J&J Snack Foods Corp
Jon Sigmon has been named Chief Information Officer for J&J Snack Foods
Corp, producer of the SUPERPRETZEL, ICEE, LUIGI’S Real Italian Ice, The Funnel Cake Factory Funnel Cakes, and other iconic products. Sigmon is leaving Carlisle Companies, where he served as Vice President of Information Technology and was responsible for the data center, network, and security operations. Before Carlisle Companies, Sigmon spent nearly 10 years at Carlisle Construction Materials and over 20 years at Schindler Elevator Corporation. Sigmon is also an Executive Council Member for the CIO Professional Network, a vendor-free private platform specifically made for CIOs to network and collaborate.
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