Chris Chirgwin has been appointed chief information officer (CIO) for Santa Barbara County. He starts work Sept. 6, and will report directly to Mona Miyasato, county executive officer.
Chirgwin was formerly CEO of Lanspeed, an IT services firm headquartered in Santa Barbara County, with consulting experience in local government along the Central Coast.
“Chris is exactly what the county needs at this time, as we elevate the county’s focus on technology to better serve our whole community,” said 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who chairs the board.
As CIO, Chirgwin will be responsible for leading and overseeing the vision, strategy and operations of the soon to be formed Information Technology (IT) Department. The county’s central IT department was dismantled 12 years ago, resulting in a largely decentralized system within the county organization.
Using a recently prepared organizational risk and readiness assessment, Chirgwin will be involved in the analysis, assessment and implementation approach for transitioning to a stand-alone IT Department.
“Chris has excelled throughout his career in providing organizations with a winning combination of strong leadership, broad technical expertise, sound strategic planning and effective collaboration with customers,” Miyasato said. “He will provide the direction we need to deliver better, efficient and innovative processes that are in line with best practices.
“I have confidence that Chris will work collaboratively with our departments as we transition into a better, technology-focused and structured organization.”
“I am excited to be joining the county of Santa Barbara and looking forward to advancing technology usage and delivery in strategic and transformative ways,” said Chirgwin. “Technology is key to the xounty’s development and growth, and I’m committed to providing leadership and direction in making the new IT Department be innovative, agile and responsive.”
Chirgwin, who received his MBA from the University of Portland and his BA from Westmont College, has served on several local nonprofit boards and community service organizations.