Brownsville CIO to leave after four-year transformation

Jorge Cardenas is leaving his role as CIO of the City of Brownsville, Texas, after four years in the post that saw the city expand its fibre infrastructure, deploy private 5G and establish an in-house AI operation.

Cardenas, who joined the city as CIO in August 2022 and also serves as its acting cybersecurity executive, said he had decided to “begin the next chapter” of his life. His departure comes shortly after he received a 2026 Service to the Citizen Award for helping transform Brownsville into a more connected and citizen-focused city.

“When I look back, I’m incredibly proud of what we built together,” Cardenas wrote on LinkedIn. “We strengthened our technology and cybersecurity foundation, expanded fiber and smart infrastructure, and pushed the boundaries of what a city can do with AI and emerging technology.”

During his tenure, Brownsville deployed a 160-kilometre citywide fibre backbone and secured more than US$42 million in broadband funding. The city also began deploying a private 5G network, developed with NTT DATA, to connect public assets and support smart city applications.

When Cities Today interviewed Cardenas about the project in 2024, he highlighted the scale of Brownsville’s connectivity turnaround. In 2017, the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration had identified Brownsville as the worst-connected city in the country.

“With the Private 5G network and the Smart Solutions from NTT DATA, we will soon be known as one of the most connected cities in the world,” he said at the time.

Cardenas subsequently oversaw the creation of Brownsville’s AI Factory and Intelligent Operations Center, bringing together data from cameras, traffic systems and other sensors. Applications include monitoring for wrong-way driving, speeding and illegal dumping, as well as providing first responders with improved real-time situational awareness.

Service to the Citizen said the work demonstrated how digital infrastructure could translate into more responsive public services, naming Cardenas a winner in its Building a Customer Focused Culture category.

Reflecting on the award in a separate LinkedIn post, Cardenas said: “The work was never about technology alone. It was about building something that would last and make Brownsville better.”

He struck a similar note when announcing his departure, highlighting the team built during his tenure.

“What I’m most proud of isn’t the technology,” he wrote. “It’s the people and the team we built.”