Comptroller Brooke Lierman has announced the appointment of Robert W. O’Connor as the agency’s first-ever Chief Information Officer (CIO) following the recommendations of her Transition Team in the recently released Comptroller’s Transition Report. O’Connor, who most recently served as Chief Information Officer for the Baltimore County Government Enterprise, will lead the Comptroller’s Office in modernizing the agency’s technology, moving from an antiquated mainframe system to a cloud-based platform to better serve Maryland taxpayers.
“I am thrilled that we are moving swiftly to hire the agency’s first-ever Chief Information Officer and I know that Rob O’Connor will help fulfill my vision of modernizing the office to deliver the best service to Marylanders and create a truly data-driven agency,” Comptroller Lierman said.
One of the Transition Report’s key findings was the need to modernize the agency’s technology, paramount to collecting and analyzing data, managing risk, administering taxes, and processing payments. With enhanced technology, local governments, the public, and other partners would benefit from access to information housed in the Comptroller’s Office.
Mr. O’Connor, who worked in Baltimore County for 24 years overseeing system access for 10,000 users and 25 county agencies, a staff of more than 230 employees, and a $100 million budget, is looking forward to transforming the Comptroller’s Office’s technical capabilities in his new role.
“I am honored to serve Maryland and the Comptroller’s Office as the new CIO. I look forward to working with Comptroller Lierman and this incredible team,” Mr. O’Connor said.
With a new user-centered website and broader technology modernization, the agency and its partners would have a better understanding of the state’s economy, revenues, and spending, and make progress toward a more equitable Maryland.
Mr. O’Connor, who lives in Reisterstown, is the proud father of two daughters. He served as chairman of the Baltimore County Digital Equity Committee and chairman of the Baltimore County Information Technology Advisory Committee, among several other professional affiliations during his tenure with Baltimore County.