Massachusetts Names New CIO

Louis Gutierrez has been named the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ new Chief Information Officer.

Gutierrez replaces Peter Quinn, who resigned unexpectedly in late December, after saying he had become a “lightning rod” for individuals looking to undercut the state’s move towards an open data format for its computer systems.  Guiterrez will handle the state’s OpenDocument policy.

Gov. Mitt Romney’s administration said on Monday that Gutierrez had been appointed, and he will begin on Feb. 6.  Bethann Pepoli, acting CIO, will become Gutierrez’s deputy CIO.

“Gutierrez will be responsible for overseeing the final stages of implementation of the state’s new OpenDocument format proposal, to go into effect in January 2007,” said the press release that announced the change.

The state’s controversial decision last year to standardize its productivity applications on OpenDocument format have lent the appointment of state technology officials international importance.  It also led to the resignation of Peter Quinn.  Massachusetts’ IT division policy says that all documents created by state executive branch agencies must be saved in OpenDocument format by the beginning of next year.  OpenDocument is developed by a standards organization rather than being under the control of one single entity.

Gutierrez currently holds the Chief Technology Strategist moniker at the Commonwealth Medicine Division of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  He is a graduate of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.

For more updated CIO comings and goings, check out Senior Writer Meridith Levinson’s blog, Movers and Shakers.

-Al Sacco