A CTO headcount throughout government
The chief technology officer position is becoming more common at all levels of government.
Here is a look at the chief technology officer role at all government levels.
Federal
Based on an analysis of the Federal Computer Week circulation list, which includes more than 100 government CTOs, most federal departments and many independent agencies have a CTO position, from the Defense and Homeland Security departments to the FBI and the Fish and Wildlife Service. All major departments also have a chief information officer, as required by law.
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State
About a half-dozen states, including Arkansas, New Jersey and Texas, call their top tech person a CTO, as opposed to a CIO. Many other states have both a CTO and a CIO in a model that mirrors the typical federal approach. For example, North Carolina’s CTO handles enterprise architecture planning and strategic initiatives but not day-to-day IT operations. And in Vermont, the CTO focuses on emerging technology opportunities such as cloud computing, smart electrical grid technologies and broadband.
Local
The CTO position exists in many local and municipal governments. Because local budgets are often tight, many governments combine the CIO and CTO positions, as in Washington, D.C., and Seattle.