Tarek Tomes, who was appointed by Minn. Gov. Tim Walz in 2019, will stay on to lead Minnesota IT Services in a cabinet-level position. Tomes is one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers.
The annual survey of state and territorial CIOs found that emphasis has shifted away from expanding remote and hybrid work and toward legacy modernization and digital services after COVID-19.
Minnesota’s new Office of Transformation uses a modernization playbook to update not only the kinds of technology state agencies are using, but how they’re being implemented with stakeholders and citizens.
Minnesota CIO Tarek Tomes explains that if he were to build a government IT agency from the ground up, he’d start by injecting some flexibility into how technology is funded.
In the role of chief information officer since April, Tarek Tomes explains the importance of human-centered design, how the CIO should approach emerging tech and why moving away from MNLARS was the right choice.
After Minnesota’s custom-built driver and vehicle system failed to successfully launch, the state opted to purchase a third-party system that CIO Tarek Tomes describes as the right choice going forward.
Tarek Tomes has been selected as the next commissioner of Minnesota IT Services, taking over from Acting Commissioner William Poirier.
