NASCIO Champions National Cyber Security Awareness Month

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Wednesday, October 5 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) is once again observing National Cyber Security Awareness Month by being an official cybersecurity champion. For the 13th consecutive year, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and the National Cybersecurity Alliance are promoting cyber security awareness, safety and security online. Once again, NASCIO is partnering with these organizations to officially show support and promote a safer, more secure and trusted Internet.

To further promote cybersecurity awareness, NASCIO will release an updated version of the State Cybersecurity Resource Guide later this month, which observes the awareness, training, and educational initiatives available throughout the states.

The updated guide will include examples of state awareness programs and initiatives. This is an additional resource of best-practice information, together with an interactive state map to allow users to drilldown to the actual resources that states have developed or are using to promote cyber awareness.

“Cybersecurity continues to be top of mind for our state CIOs,” said Doug Robinson, NASCIO executive director. “NASCIO supports the states’ efforts in cybersecurity not only during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but all year long with research and publications that advance cybersecurity as a top priority. NASCIO applauds the states for bringing attention to the importance of online safety and security by hosting and highlighting their own state programs and resources throughout the month of October.”

Cybersecurity resources and advocacy efforts can be found on NASCIO’s Cybersecurity Awareness resource page at www.nascio.org/cybersecurity. 

To learn more about participating in National Cyber Security Awareness Month, please visit www.staysafeonline.org. Consider joining NASCIO and becoming a cybersecurity awareness champion today.

NASCIO Conference Attendees Give Back to Orlando, Host City of the 2016 Annual Conference

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Total donation of $12,250 provided to local Orlando organization

ORLANDO, FL., State, associate, and corporate members of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) donated to the Melrose Center at the Orange County Public Library System this September as part of NASCIO’s Give Back program. Funds for the local organization were raised leading up to and during NASCIO’s 2016 Annual Conference held in Orlando. In addition to funds raised from individual attendees, the CompTIA SLED Council gave a kickoff gift of $5,000 and NASCIO contributed and additional $5,000 – providing a grand total donation of $12,250 to the local organization.

Donations made through the NASCIO Give Back program will help offset the cost of supplies, such as circuitry and materials for 3-D printing, that are used in camps and classes to allow kids to take their projects home and keep learning. The Melrose Center offers classes that introduce youth to circuitry and robotics, 3-D printing and design, and coding; all of which are offered at no or extremely low cost, which means the Melrose Center makes technology education and training accessible and affordable for all kids in Orange County.

“The Melrose Center at the Orange County Library System puts technology directly into the hands of Orange County’s children, supporting their experimentation, providing them with hands on opportunities to experiment, create and innovate to eventually become our community’s future tech gurus,” said Mary Ann Hodel, Library Director and CEO. “Thanks to NASCIO’s generous give back donation, we will be able to provide the components, materials and supplies to children at all family income levels. Orange County Library System is extremely grateful to NASCIO’s members for their strong and generous support for our emerging innovators.”

To learn more about the Melrose Center, visit http://tic.ocls.info/. 

NASCIO Announces New Corporate Leadership Council Leadership and Corporate Longevity Award Recipients

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The Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) is comprised of dedicated National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) corporate members committed to utilizing private sector intellectual and financial resources to serve NASCIO and its members. CLC members promote information sharing among public and private-sector members, providing expertise to NASCIO issue focus areas and developing publications and projects. 

The NASCIO corporate members have elected a new CLC chair and vice chair for the 2016-2017 program year. The CLC is now being led by Corky Allen, Dell EMC, as chair and Dan Lohrmann, Secure Mentor, Inc, as vice chair. The CLC chair and vice chair hold an advisory seat on NASCIO’s Executive Committee. Allen succeeds Jennifer Axt, Dell EMC, as CLC chair.

Corporations holding memberships in NASCIO for five years (and at 5-year intervals thereafter) are recognized during the Annual Conference. Recognition of corporate longevity is automatic and nomination is not required. 

NASCIO’s Corporate Longevity Award recipients for 2016 are:

25-years
Accenture
AT&T
IBM
Unisys

20-years
Cisco Systems Inc.
Dell Inc
SAP Public Services

15-years
Citrix Systems
Deltek
Gartner, Inc
NIC

10-years
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
IDC Government Insights
Teradata

5-years
Amazon Web Services
Asysco, Inc
Ciena
Entrust Datacard
Infor
NTT DATA
Ricoh USA Inc
SAIC

NASCIO Honors Exceptional Contributions in State Government

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The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) presented the State Technology Innovator Award to three deserving public servants during the 2016 NASCIO Annual Conference in Orlando.

The NASCIO State Technology Innovator Award honors outstanding individuals who have made contributions to advance state technology policy through the promotion of best practices, adoption of new technologies and advancements in service delivery. Nominees must be an employee, elected official, appointed official or other appointee representing state government. Nominations were gathered from NASCIO members as well as non-members. The following are the recipients of the 2016 NASCIO State Technology Innovator Award:

The Honorable Governor John Hickenlooper, State of Colorado

Governor John Hickenlooper has helped solidify Colorado as an unprecedented leader in technology efforts. Three large initiatives where Governor Hickenlooper has elevated technology for Colorado, and proven that the state is a national leader, are Google Apps for Government, the Colorado Universal Application, and cybersecurity. Just months after his election, Governor Hickenlooper added the title “Secretary of Technology” to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) role to lead the state’s IT economic development efforts.

Dr. William A. Hazel Jr., Secretary, Health and Human Services, Commonwealth of Virginia

Dr. Bill Hazel has a long track record of using technology to improve people’s lives. As an orthopedic surgeon in Northern Virginia, where he was an advocate for using medical technologies to serve his patients, and now as Secretary of Health and Human Resources, where he uses his position to drive positive outcomes for Virginians; from ending Veterans Homelessness, to improving access to mental health services, to integrating individuals with disabilities into the community, to enabling children and families to thrive.

Delano Squires, Director, Connect.DC, District of Columbia

As the leader of Connect.DC — Washington, D.C.’s premier digital inclusion initiative – Delano Squires launched the Mobile Tech Lab (MTL) to leverage the power of technology within the District’s inadequately served communities. The MTL directly advances the District’s digital inclusion technology policy agenda, hosting digital and financial literacy classes, providing access to laptops and Wi-Fi, and ensuring all citizens, regardless of internet access, can utilize the District’s online government services.

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NASCIO Honors Stu Davis of Ohio for his Exceptional Service to the State and NASCIO

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The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) recognized Stu Davis, past NASCIO president and chief information officer (CIO) for the state of Ohio, with the association’s Meritorious Service Award. Davis was honored during a special ceremony Monday evening at the NASCIO Annual Conference in Orlando.

To spotlight outstanding service, NASCIO created the Meritorious Service Award, honoring leadership in state government and dedication to the advancement of NASCIO’s mission. NASCIO’s achievements have largely been the product of the enthusiasm, focus and service of its members; this commitment to excellence has served as a catalyst to redefine the role of technology at the federal, state and local levels. 

“Stu is the embodiment of true leadership, vision and service and I cannot think of anyone more deserving.” said NASCIO President and cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Information Technology Darryl Ackley. “Having Stu as a friend and resource has been invaluable to me during my tenure as CIO and I know that I am certainly not alone in that sentiment.”

Stu’s career spans over 30 years focusing on state and local government and was appointed as CIO in Ohio in 2011. Under his leadership, Ohio has undertaken an IT Optimization initiative, which has reinvented the way state agencies support the public they serve. Over the last five years the optimization project has redirected agency IT spend from infrastructure and operations to citizen and business-centric application and services. While great strides have been made, Stu is working to ensure continued success for Ohio through partnerships across the state; a focus on creating high-quality citizen and business experiences with state programs; supporting state employees with common and efficient enterprise solutions; and providing secure and reliable information technology solutions.

Ohio Department of Administrative Services Director Robert Blair said, “Stu has provided the leadership, vision and energy necessary to get things done for Ohio! He led the charge to change the way we do IT in Ohio – providing shared solutions for common services so that state agencies can focus on their core missions to create a better Ohio. I am proud to have him on my team and call him my friend. He embodies the DAS spirit of Service, Support and Solutions.”  

Davis has been a member of the NASCIO Executive Committee since 2012 when he joined as a director. Since then he has held the offices of secretary-treasurer, vice president and president. Davis has also served on numerous NASCIO committees, currently serving as chair of both the Nominations and Data Management Committees, and has represented NASCIO at regional and national conferences as a speaker and panelist.

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2016 Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity Survey: Cyber Getting Governor Attention; Budget and Talent Challenges Remain

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Despite increased executive awareness of cybersecurity, challenges continue

Survey finds a formal strategy, better communications are needed to develop greater command of resources

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 20, 2016 — Challenges still exist, but cybersecurity is becoming part of the fabric of government operations, according to the recently-released “2016 Deloitte-National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Cybersecurity Study.” Despite an increase in the governor-level awareness of cybersecurity, the most significant challenge for state chief information security officers (CISOs) in 2016 remains a lack of sufficient funding. Most states’ cybersecurity budgets are hovering between zero and 2 percent of their overall information technology budget.

“There continues to be challenges with proper funding and finding qualified talent, but the good news is that we are seeing positive indications that state CISOs and CIOs are having an impact as communication and collaboration among government is increasing,” said Darryl Ackley, NASCIO president and cabinet secretary and CIO for the New Mexico Department of Information Technology.

“The survey results spell out a clear message for CISOs: State leaders are paying attention. Take advantage of this focus to make substantial progress,” said Srini Subramanian, principal, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and state government cyber risk services leader. “Those CISOs who are able to harness this attention and build stronger relationships with business executives and state legislators have an opportunity to garner more resources and support for their initiatives.”

Subramanian continued, “For the first time, all respondents report having an enterprise-level CISO position. The CISO role itself has become more consistent in terms of functions and responsibilities. CISOs are also focusing their energies more on what they can control.”

Key takeaways from the 2016 survey:

  • Governor-level awareness is on the rise. The survey results indicate that governors and other state officials are receiving more frequent updates from CIOs/CISOs. Despite an increase of reporting, a confidence gap still exists between IT and the business, emphasizing the need for better communication of cyber risks.
     
  • Cybersecurity is becoming part of the fabric of government operations. The state government CISO role has become more consistent in terms of functions and responsibilities. Top three cybersecurity initiatives in 2016 include training and awareness, monitoring/security operations centers, and strategy.
  • A formal cybersecurity strategy and better communications lead to greater command of resources. States taking a proactive approach to strategy setting and communication are more likely to see improvements in funding and access to talent. Survey shows 16 out of 33 states with an approved strategy reported they had an increase in budget.
     
  • There is a need to rethink talent strategies. The nature of what states have to offer workers has changed. States are pointing to job stability and the opportunity to “give back and make an impact” as compelling reasons to consider state employment. These — along with a rich training and development — are becoming the basis to recruit millennial talent.

To read the survey, visit www.NASCIO.org/stateofcyber.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 companies and 47 US states. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets and inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence. Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights produces groundbreaking research to help government solve its most complex problems. Deloitte’s Secure.Vigilant.Resilient.TM cyber risk programs focus on aligning security investments with risk priorities, establishing improved threat awareness and visibility, and strengthening the ability of organizations to thrive in the face of cyber incidents. http://www.deloitte.com/us/state

About NASCIO

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers is the premier network and resource for state CIOs and a leading advocate for technology policy at all levels of government. NASCIO represents state chief information officers and information technology executives from the states, territories, and the District of Columbia. For more information about NASCIO visit www.nascio.org.

As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte & Touche LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

Contacts

Megan Doern
Public Relations
Deloitte
571.858.1990
[email protected]

Lori Rempe
Membership and Communication Coordinator
NASCIO
859.514.9217
[email protected]

NASCIO Recognizes State Chief Information Security Officers with Jarrett Scholarship

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The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has awarded the Thomas M. Jarrett Cybersecurity Scholarship to two exceptional state Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) for the 2016 Annual Conference in Orlando. This is the fourth year for the scholarship program, which was created to pay homage to Thomas M. Jarrett, past president of NASCIO (2004 – 2005), for his passion for cybersecurity. The scholarship grants current CISOs the opportunity to attend the NASCIO Annual Conference and contribute to the national dialogue on cybersecurity and related issues. 
The 2016 Thomas M. Jarrett Cybersecurity Scholarship recipients are Elayne Starkey, Chief Security Officer, State of Delaware (nominated by James Collins, Chief Information Officer, State of Delaware) and Joshua Spence, Chief Information Security Officer. State of West Virginia (nominated by Gale Given, Chief Technology Officer, State of West Virginia). 

State IT Leaders Adapting to Evolving Tech Environment, 2016 State CIO Survey Reveals

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State CIOs are becoming brokers of technology services rather than providers, as data center consolidation progresses and outsourcing of IT applications and services expands, according to new research released today at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Annual Conference.
The Adaptable State CIO, published jointly by NASCIO, Grant Thornton LLP and CompTIA, takes the pulse of how state CIOs are adapting to an evolving technology environment and rapid changes in innovation, business, security, privacy, and the workforce. 
“The results of our 2016 survey highlight the critical leadership role of the state CIO,” said Doug Robinson, Executive Director of NASCIO. “As shown in the survey topics, their portfolio is already diverse and new technology and business opportunities will require constant adaptation to serve the needs of state government.” 
“The state CIO must be increasingly agile as he or she navigates the shifting IT and business landscapes, as well as citizen expectations,” said Graeme Finley, managing director in Grant Thornton’s State and Local Public Sector practice. “The perspectives of these CIOs will be especially valuable to state governors, legislatures and business leaders as they work to strengthen and protect essential state IT services.”
The seventh annual survey reveals a continued reduction in state-owned-and-operated data centers and increased use of outsourcing. More than two-thirds of states now outsource at least some IT infrastructure operations. While outsourcing of operations is becoming increasingly common, continued movement toward some type of managed services model appears to be the norm for most states in future years—nearly two-thirds use a managed services model for some or all IT operations. 
Countering the outsourcing trend, however, is the finding that almost one in five CIOs expect certain operations that are currently outsourced will be brought back in-house. This may reflect lessons learned from first generation outsourcing experiences and evaluations of which operations and services are the best fit for outsourcing.

Workforce Challenges Persist 

State governments continue to face challenges in recruitment, development and retention of IT professionals as they compete with the private sector for talent. 

The 2016 survey finds that state CIOs are innovating and promoting the experiences available only in government that the private sector cannot offer, and it seems to be working. Promoting non-salary benefits and a call to public service are two of the most effective strategies. 

State CIOs also suggest that updating job titles and classifications and modernizing office culture with benefits such as flexible work schedules and telecommuting are changes that would positively impact the state IT workforce.
“With so many states setting the pace for innovation, driven by cloud-based solutions, mobile technologies and the Internet of Things, public service has much to offer prospective technology workers,” said Jennifer Saha, Director of State & Local Government and Education at CompTIA. “But state CIOs are wise to do some self-examination of the tactics and strategies they’re using to attract new talent. Practices that worked a few years ago when it was a buyer’s market for employment may no longer be as relevant in a tight labor market.”


Dealing with Data 

The overwhelming majority of state CIOs consider data governance and management to be a key element of their strategic agendas and operational plans. There has been significant progress in this area in the last several years. The overwhelming majority of respondents indicate their state is integrating or has an interest in the integration of data analytics to develop insights and inform policy decisions.

The complete report The Adaptable State CIO is available on the NASCIO website at www.nascio.org/2016StateCIOSurvey.

NASCIO Announces New Executive Committee Leadership

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Top state information technology leaders have been selected to serve as new program year Executive Committee for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). The association is now led by Mark Raymond, Connecticut chief information officer and NASCIO president for the 2016-17 program year. Raymond succeeds New Mexico Secretary and Chief Information Officer, Darryl Ackley. 
NASCIO’s 2016-17 Executive Committee leaders are:

Executive Committee Officers:
President – Mark Raymond, Chief Information Officer, Connecticut
Vice President – Bo Reese, Chief Information Officer, Oklahoma
Secretary/Treasurer – Craig Orgeron, PhD, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director, Mississippi
Past President – Darryl Ackley, Secretary and Chief Information Officer, New Mexico
Executive Committee Directors:
Jason Allison, Executive Director and Chief Information Officer, Florida
Thomas Baden, Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Minnesota
Ron Baldwin, Chief Information Officer, Montana
Stu Davis, State Chief Information Officer and Assistant Director, Ohio
Gale Given, Chief Technology Officer, West Virginia
Joanne Hale, PhD, Acting Secretary of Information Technology, Alabama
Mark Myers, Director and Chief Technology Officer, Arkansas

NASCIO Recognizes Outstanding Achievement in State Government

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Twelve exemplary initiatives were chosen as recipients for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ (NASCIO) 2016 Recognition Awards for outstanding achievement in information technology in state government.

Recipients were announced this evening during the NASCIO Annual Conference in Orlando. This marks the 28th consecutive year NASCIO has honored outstanding information technology achievements in the public sector through the awards program. Recipients were selected by the NASCIO Awards Committee from a field of more than 130 nominees.

“It has been a great privilege to co-chair the NASCIO Awards Committee,” said Delaware Chief Information Officer James Collins and Indiana Chief Information Officer Dewand Neely in a joint statement. “The recipients honored tonight, as well as all nominated projects, demonstrate the integral and transformative nature information technology can have on state government and the experiences of citizens.”    

The 2016 Award Recipients are:

Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships
State of Michigan, Medicaid as a Service

Cybersecurity
State of Michigan, Cyber Disruption Response Plan

Digital Government: Government to Business 
State of Florida, Clearinghouse for Health Care Applicant Screening 

Digital Government: Government to Citizen 
State of Georgia, Accessible Platform Initiative
State of Iowa, Iowa Administrative Rule Public Comment Site

Disaster Recovery/Security & Business Continuity Readiness
State of Connecticut, Innovation in Business Continuity – Colocation at Springfield Massachusetts Data Center

Emerging and Innovative Technologies
State of Arkansas, Gov2Go

Enterprise IT Management Initiatives
State of Wyoming, Wyoming Enterprise Extendable Code Cloud Library

Improving State Operations
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Informing and Enhancing the Work of the State Auditor to Drive Business Improvements across State Government

Information Communications Technology (ICT) Innovations
State of Ohio, Expanding Unified Communications Across Ohio: True Enterprise Collaboration

Open Government and Data, Information and Knowledge Management
State of Florida, Contract Accountability and Transparency

State CIO Office Special Recognition
State of Washington, Washington State Employer of Choice