Dallas CISO becomes interim CIO

Brian Gardner, the City of Dallas’ Chief Information and Security Officer (CISO), has been named as interim Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Gardner (pictured) has taken on the role after Bill Zielinski stepped down following four years as the city’s Director of Information and Technology Services – and more than 30 years in the public sector – to take an opportunity in the private sector.

“I had this great opportunity that came my way that, at the end of the day, given where I am in my career, where I am in my life, was just a great match. And so I said yes,” Zielinski said to The Dallas Morning News. “I’ll take several weeks off and then I will start a new gig in private industry.”

He joined as CIO during the Covid-19 pandemic and led the city through a 2021 data loss–when a city employee mistakenly removed millions of police files– and in 2023 when ransomware attackers accessed more than 30,000 Social Security numbers.

“[Zielinski] has many [additional] achievements, including the Technology Accountability Report, completion of the new Human Resource system, and piloting a programme addressing equity and access to digital tools among Dallas residents,” a City of Dallas spokesperson told Cities Today.

The interim CIO, Gardner, has been with the city for over six years as CISO where he has worked with the FBI and Homeland Security on safety and risk for critical infrastructure, developed a cybersecurity training and awareness programme, and assisted Zielinski in overall IT and security strategy.

Image: Brian Gardner/Linkedin