Indiana governor names Warren Lenard as new state CIO

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Friday announced that Warren Lenard, an auto dealership executive, will take over as the state’s new chief information officer and director of Indiana’s Office of Technology.

In the role, which he started on Monday, Lenard will oversee efforts to consolidate IT organizations across Indiana’s state government to provide better service at a lower cost, a news release said.

He fills a vacancy left by Tracy Barnes, who stepped down in January after serving in the role for four years. During his tenure, Barnes improved the state’s cybersecurity posture, created the state’s State Earn and Learn IT training program and furthered adoption of cloud computing among state agencies.

Lenard most recently served as the chief operations and information officer of Byrider, a chain of car dealerships. He was also vice president of technology and operations for JD Sports Finish Line in Indianapolis.

“IOT works behind the scenes to keep state government afloat and operational,” Braun said in the news release. “I am excited to announce that Warren Lenard will serve as the next Director of the Indiana Office of Technology. His private sector experience brings the type of entrepreneurial mindset that our state government so desperately needs.”