During the course of his career in public service, O'Malley has championed the usage of data analysis and data mapping for performance management, first as Baltimore's mayor in a program called CitiStat that was widely emulated in cities across the U.S., and later as governor in supporting the creation of similar programs called StateStat and BayStat.
"Governor O'Malley is very deserving of this recognition," Elliot Schlanger, CIO of Maryland, said in a news release. "He relentlessly drives agencies to integrate technology, data and transparency into their missions every day. The citizens of Maryland benefit greatly from the governor's vision of technology in so many ways -- prudent fiscal stewardship, efficient service delivery, quality educational opportunities and responsible public safety -- just to name a few."
NASCIO President Steve Fletcher, the CIO of Utah, said that O'Malley "clearly understands the fundamental role that information technology plays in delivering efficient and effective services to citizens, and has innovatively leveraged IT to optimize government performance in the state of Maryland."
Baltimore's CitiStat and its various iterations were modeled on CompStat, a first-generation crime-fighting tool that then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani enacted during the '90s to help clean up the city. When O'Malley became Baltimore's mayor, he saw the value that such a performance management program based on analytical data could have for governing in general, not just policing.
NASCIO's annual National Technology Champion Award is given to recipients who promote excellence in technology and good government. Current state CIOs are not eligible.
Watch Video: Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland discusses StateStat GIS for accountability and transparency.
