Baer previously worked as the director for Portland's Bureau of Purchases from 2001 to 2009, and remained with the city until 2012 as the director for the Bureau of Internal Businesses, when he left to take a position with San Diego's procurement and contracting department.
After seven months in Southern California, Baer returned to Portland to manage the city's Public Safety Systems Revitalization Program (PSSRP), where he has remained since.
On July 1, he will begin his newest position as the city's chief technology officer. He will oversee the Bureau of Technology Services and its 200 employees, as well as the city's IT department. He also plans to continue his work upgrading the city's public safety technology.
In addition to managing Portland's tech efforts, Chief Administrative Officer Fred Miller said in a statement that Baer's leadership will help Portland "organizationally align the ongoing support for PSSRP systems with the public safety bureaus and BTS."
As for Baer, he said he is pleased to be joining the BTS team and looks forward to "being part of an organization that provides such a wide array of critical technology, communications and information solutions for the city."
