The state has hired John Rodenbiker to serve as its director of cyber operations, a role that collaborates closely with the CISO to support cybersecurity. Rodenbiker’s first day was Jan. 5, NDIT Public Information Officer Jeremy Fettig said Friday via email.
State CISO Chris Gergen was previously director of cyber operations before being tapped as interim CISO in February 2025, and taking on the permanent role in July. Gergen filled both positions until Rodenbiker’s hiring, Fettig said. The state CISO was part of the team that helped stand up the state’s cyber operations center, which Rodenbiker is now charged with leading.
Born and raised in North Dakota, Rodenbiker’s career ranges across multiple industries. Most recently, he managed information security for more than 350,000 members at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. He also oversaw North American cybersecurity operations for Doosan Bobcat and helped build and mature cybersecurity programs for Eide Bailly. Rodenbiker holds a bachelor’s degree from Minot State University and a Master of Business Administration from North Dakota State University.
The director of cyber operations is charged with managing the cyber operations center’s ongoing budget and human resources capacity. He will also advise the CISO on future requirements to inform budget requests. Other responsibilities of the position include developing an operational road map, providing oversight to managers of cybersecurity operations teams and leading cross-functional teams during critical security incidents.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technology issue — it’s a people issue,” Rodenbiker said Friday in a statement.
His vision for NDIT cybersecurity work prioritizes strengthening statewide cyber defenses and increasing awareness of human risk through education and accountability, per a state news release. His focus is on centralized services, which can improve consistency and security for secure and reliable service delivery.
The state is leveraging a whole-of-government approach to cybersecurity, as CIO Corey Mock has previously said. The state is building out cybersecurity infrastructure and awareness through initiatives like the Cyber Madness technology tournament, the CyberCon event and a “Stay Cyber SMART” educational campaign.
