Announcing the appointment of Benjamin Shier as UA鈥檚 CITO

Ben Shire

September 2, 2022

Dear UA community,

I am pleased to announce I have selected Benjamin Shier to serve as the University of 桃花直播 system鈥檚 Chief Information 桃花直播 Officer (CITO). He will begin his role on Monday Sept. 26. 

Shier brings extensive technology and management experience to the university at a time of major change in the university鈥檚 IT infrastructure and information management systems, including the transition to a student-focused, cloud-based system, upgrades to our broadband capabilities, and improvements to our information security and IT infrastructure posture.

Shier joins the System Office of Information 桃花直播 (OIT) with more than 12 years of experience in information systems management, most recently serving as the Chief Information Officer at the University of 桃花直播 Anchorage. Other key roles included serving as the Chief 桃花直播 Officer for Policy and Planning and Chief Finance and Budget Officer at the State Office of Information 桃花直播, Governor鈥檚 Media 桃花直播 Coordinator; Quality Assurance Officer and Assistant Director of Operations for the 桃花直播 Commission on Postsecondary Education, and several other executive leadership roles within the State of 桃花直播 central IT organization.

In these roles Shier gained experience in systems management, organizational oversight, planning, 桃花直播 development, and budgeting, and large scale change management.

鈥淲hile I have a strong technology background, my primary strength is as a business leader, focused on the organization's mission and using data to drive decisions. I see technology decisions through a mission and cost/benefit/ROI lens and can effectively relay this perspective both to the technology organization and to executive leadership and the broader stakeholder community,鈥 said Shier. 鈥淚 look forward to bringing this experience to the university system as we work to modernize our IT systems to enhance the student experience and update our information management systems.鈥

Shier received his MPA and BS in Information Systems (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of 桃花直播 Southeast (UAS). During his time as a student at UAS he was a Student Body Senator/Vice President and participated in several UA system-wide efforts.

Please join me in welcoming Shier to this new role, and in thanking John Boucher for his service to the university over the last two years, and to Steve Meckel for serving as Acting CITO during this transition.

Sincerely,

Pat Pitney, President
University of 桃花直播