South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has announced that Mark Wixon is the state’s new chief information officer (CIO) and commissioner of the Bureau of Information Technology (BIT).
Wixon stepped into the dual-hat role after his predecessor, Madhu Gottumukkala, was tapped to serve as the deputy director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
“South Dakota relies on leaders like Mark Wixon to maintain a statewide legacy of strength, safety, and freedom,” Gov. Rhoden said in a May 22 press release. “He is deeply committed to public service and has been a valuable asset to our state through his previous work with BIT. I trust that Mark will bring meaningful, strategic insight to the table as we serve the people of South Dakota.”
Wixon took over the role on May 22, after previously serving as the director of agency application support with BIT. With over 30 years of IT experience, the governor’s office said Wixon has a reputation “for building strong alliances with business leaders by effectively translating complex IT and cybersecurity concepts into business objective-driven technology decisions.”
He has served in various leadership roles at Black Hills Energy, including senior manager of IT security governance and risk management, director of IT governance, and director of business applications.
Wixon also served in several volunteer roles at Black Hills Federal Credit Union and is currently the chairman of its board of directors.
“I am grateful to Governor Rhoden for this opportunity to serve the people of South Dakota,” Wixon said. “My career in IT has been driven by the philosophy that innovative technology solutions can drive positive outcomes and enhance business performance. I look forward to continuing this mission and achieving great results for the agencies which serve this great state.”
