North Dakota CIO Shawn Riley leaving for crypto-mining outfit – StateScoop

Shawn Riley, North Dakota’s chief data officer of six years, is resigning to affix the cryptocurrency-mining firm Bitzero Worldwide as its new CEO of American operations, Gov. Doug Burgum introduced Wednesday.

“Shaun embodies the time period ’transformational chief,’ and the optimistic impacts of his management on innovation, know-how, and cybersecurity will probably be felt in North Dakota Data Know-how and throughout our state for years to come back,” Burgum stated in a press launch. “We’re deeply grateful for his service to the state of North Dakota.”

Deputy CIO Greg Hoffman will function North Dakota’s interim CIO and lead the North Dakota Data Know-how division whereas the state searches for Riley’s substitute, based on the discharge. Riley’s resignation is efficient Dec. 2.

Riley was appointed CIO in 2017 and had beforehand served as part head of data know-how on the Mayo Clinic, and CIO and chief know-how officer throughout the Mayo Clinic Well being System.

Throughout Riley’s tenure, North Dakota turned the primary state to authorize a shared-service strategy to cybersecurity throughout state authorities, working a community that now has greater than 250,000 day by day customers throughout 400 public entities. North Dakota was additionally the founding member of the Joint Cybersecurity Operations Command Middle.

Riley will be a part of Bitzero Worldwide, a cryptocurrency-mining firm that’s changing a former anti-ballistic missile website in northeastern North Dakota right into a cryptocurrency mining heart. Bitzero, which is partially backed by “Shark Tank” co-host Kevin O’Leary, has additionally stated it intends to turn into an meeting and distribution hub for graphene battery know-how.