Texas Department of Information Resources Executive Director Stacey Napier appointed Kimbriel to the position after his service as the state’s interim CIO from January 2015 to February 2016, when Napier was hired to replace Karen Robinson, the former executive director and CIO.
Unlike Robinson, who filled both positions from 2009 to 2014, Napier decided to appoint Kimbriel in her stead. In a press release, she did not elaborate on the reasoning behind the decision, but did highlight some of Kimbriel’s qualifications. Kimbriel, she said, brings “an unmatched wealth of expertise and knowledge with him,” and noted that his previous public- and private-sector experience "made him a natural fit for this position."
Apart from his previous title as Texas’ interim CIO, Kimbriel has held a number of department positions since he joined DIR in 2008. These have included deputy executive director, internal information technology program manager, director of e-government, information resources manager, and chief operations officer.
Under the direction of Napier, Kimbriel has been tasked with helping the state adopt new technologies as he provides support for agencies and IT leadership, according to the release.
"Being named as CIO is a tremendous honor," Kimbriel said in the statement. "DIR has continually progressed in improving technology services for Texas and our customers, and I'm excited to begin my duties as CIO for our great state."