Sacramento IT Department Insider Named CIO

The city of Sacramento has named Darin Arcolino, a veteran of the city’s Information Technology Department, to the role of chief information officer.

Arcolino succeeds Maria MacGunigal, who retired this month after almost 10 years as CIO and more than 20 years in the city’s IT enterprise.

The new CIO was asked by Industry Insider — California what those in the tech industry should know about him.

“Vendors should understand that I’ve been with the city for 16 years and spent almost six years in the role of assistant director,” Arcolino said in an email. “I worked closely with Maria on department strategy and critical projects and managed the IT day-to-day operations to improve infrastructure costs and performance. I’ve just started my 100-day transition plan and listening tour as I meet with department stakeholders and employees, so my calendar is full. I keep a pulse on emerging trends and best practices by reading and attending industry events. I value the opinions and research of my talented team and listen to their guidance to navigate the vendor market.”

As the Sacramento native takes over the top job in the department — which has about 200 staffers and an annual IT budget of about $30 million — he spelled out his two key priorities:

• “Digital Equity: Utilize city assets, grant funding, and business partners to build affordable broadband access to reach our underserved and unserved populations.”
• “Citywide Data and Analytics Expansion: Using analytics to help improve city performance and efficiencies by using data to make informed decisions.”

Arcolino is a veteran of public-sector IT, having started his career as an associate information systems analyst for state government in 1995. He worked his way up the ladder with the state, working as a staff information systems analyst, software specialist and data processing manager before joining the city government in 2007. He served with the city as principal systems engineer, IT operations manager and IT assistant director before taking his new role this month.

“The CIO role interested me because I’ve had success collaborating with business and cross-functional teams to identify opportunities to positively influence the city’s objectives and service delivery,” Arcolino said. “I enjoy building and inspiring teams, shaping organizational culture, and driving meaningful change at a strategic level.

“I have lived in the Sacramento area for my entire life and I’m very passionate about the city of Sacramento, its constituents, and my work in supporting the city’s mission,” he added.

Arcolino is an alumnus of California State University at Sacramento, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems.

His professional credentials include Payment Card Industry (PCI) Professional from the Security Standards Council and Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) from the Public Technology Institute and Center for Government Services at Rutgers University.

This article was originally published by Industry Insider — California, Government Technology's sister publication.