Rookie Year: 12 New State CIOs Take Office

The average tenure of state CIOs is 25.7 months, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers said in August.

The number significantly dropped in 2015 and late 2014 as a dozen states appointed new CIOs thanks to administration changes, retirements and new legislation.

Mark Bengel of Tennessee is the longest tenured state CIO in the country, having served since 2007, but there is a significant gap between him and second place: Calvin Rhodes, Georgia’s CIO, has served for four years.

Administration changes serve as the biggest catalyst. The 2014 election saw 11 new governors take power after 36 gubernatorial seats were contested around the country.

New administrations, especially those that saw a new political party take over, typically like to bring in their own person to lead the state’s technology efforts, especially if that person is a member of the governor’s cabinet.