Ohio names interim CIO to replace outgoing Stu Davis

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services announced Monday that Deputy Chief Information Officer Spencer Wood will take over as interim state CIO following the resignation last week of Stu Davis, who had run the state’s information technology agency for nearly eight years. Robert Blair, the department’s director, announced Wood’s promotion in an email to his staff.

Davis’ resignation, which was first reported Aug. 29 by StateScoop , came after seven years and nine months on the job. Davis is one of several statewide CIOs to depart ahead of their term-limited governors. New Mexico’s Darryl Ackley stepped down Aug. 27, while Maine’s Jim Smith announced last week he will step down at the end of September.

Wood, who is also being promoted to interim assistant director of DAS, is expected to remain in the position until next January, when Republican Gov. John Kasich is scheduled to leave office. “The new administration will determine what to do with the position when they are in office,” said DAS communications director Tom Hoyt.

As deputy CIO, Wood’s responsibilities included daily supervision of the Ohio government’s cloud servers, network services and shared-service delivery functions. He also oversaw the state liquor control agency’s enterprise modernization project, which sought to update the 40-year-old business processes used to regulate alcohol sales and distribution.

Before moving to the statewide IT office, Wood spent 16 years at the Ohio Department of Transportation, including nearly six and a half as the chief information officer for the 5,600-employee agency.

Along with Wood, Blair also promoted Katrina Flory, a chief IT administrator, to serve as interim assistant CIO. “Both Spencer and Katrina have excelled as leaders in OIT over the years, and I believe they will continue with their success,” Blair’s email read.