“It has been my great privilege to serve the state of Georgia and lead the Georgia Technology Authority for the past 10 years,” he said in a press release. “I have been surrounded by an exceptionally dedicated and skilled team who are motivated by their desire to transform government and better serve Georgians.”
Since taking the CIO post in 2011, Rhodes has shepherded Georgia IT to become one of the leading states nationwide, garnering A grades in 2018 and 2020 from the Center for Digital Government’s* biennial Digital States Survey, and A- grades in 2014 and 2016. That time included a move toward IT consolidation, an open source cloud platform and spearheading the development and construction of the Georgia Cyber Center, which opened its doors in 2018. All that meant that when COVID-19 hit and much of the state’s workforce moved to remote work, the necessary building blocks were in place for a smooth transition.
One of GT’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2016, Rhodes said at the time that the reward of public-sector work came from making a difference in citizens’ lives. “We will touch on so many different ways to help people; that’s something that doesn’t happen very often in the private sector.”
Rhodes has not announced his next move, and the state has not yet named his successor.
*The Center for Digital Government is part of e.Republic, Government Technology’s parent company.
