Ervan Rodgers Will Take the Helm as Ohio's Next CIO

Ervan Rodgers II will move from his role as chief information officer at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to become the state’s next CIO.
 
Gov.-elect Mike DeWine, currently serving as Ohio Attorney General, named Rodgers as Ohio’s new CIO in a slate of cabinet announcements during a Dec. 4 press conference in Columbus.
 
“Ervan has hands-on public- and private-sector experience with digitizing core business practices, e-business, developing value-added solutions, change management and mentoring change management teams,” said DeWine at the press conference. DeWine, who captured 50.7 percent of the vote in the November race, will be inaugurated next month as Ohio’s 70th governor, taking the place of John Kasich who is term-limited. 
 
“Ervan is passionate about using data to drive solutions, and enhance the user experience," DeWine added. "He will be providing the strategic direction for the state’s IT activities, which I don’t have to tell anyone, is very, very important.”
 
Rodgers will take the job of Spencer Wood who became interim CIO in September following the departure of Stu Davis, who was the country’s second-longest-serving state CIO.
 
Rodgers served as CIO of the Ohio Attorney General’s office since 2014. However, prior to this position he worked in the private sector as an IT vice president with Huntington National Bank in Columbus from 2006 to 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. Rodgers also worked as a manager/consultant with Accenture in Detroit from 2000 to 2006. Rodgers holds a master's degree in computer science from Muskingum University in Ohio.
 
Transition team members declined to comment on any new projects or initiatives Rodgers will be involved with as the state’s newest CIO.
 
“I think there will be some interesting initiatives that Mr. Rodgers will be involved in, but those announcements will come at a later time,” said Joshua Eck, a media spokesperson for DeWine’s transition team.