The city began taking applications for the position July 24; its annual salary range is $162,118 to $243,177. Candidate reviews will begin Aug. 18, according to the application timeline, and the person selected will have a planned start date of mid to late October. The new CIO will oversee more than 60 employees responsible for infrastructure, cybersecurity, applications, GIS, data governance and customer service in a city with about 293,000 residents.
Jeremy Kurtz has stepped in as the city’s interim chief technology officer, following the departure of CTO Sasan Poureetezadi, who joined the city in June 2019 according to LinkedIn.
Officials in Gilbert are reclassifying and renaming the CTO position to CIO, reflecting a “broader focus on operational excellence, technological innovation and leveraging strategic partnerships, with a continued focus on digital transformation,” its Deputy Communications and Marketing Director Jennifer Harrison said via email.
An early adopter of AI, Gilbert was recognized as one of the Center for Digital Government’s* 2024 Digital Cities for its deep IT agenda. Its former Chief Digital Officer Dana Berchman was named one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers in 2018.
The city is “committed to leveraging AI and emerging technologies to enhance citizen engagement and streamline staff workflows,” Harrison said. City initiatives include better data management, strengthening cybersecurity, implementing smart technology and migrating operations to the cloud. Gilbert’s IT budget is $22.7 million for fiscal year 2025.
*The Center for Digital Government is a division of e.Republic, Government Technology’s parent company.
