Nebraska CIO Matthew McCarville announces resignation
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Wednesday that he had accepted the resignation of Chief Information Officer Matthew McCarville, who is set to leave the state officially in early December.
Pillen’s office said Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Director Lee Will has been appointed to serve as the interim CIO, adding that the CIO’s office is a division under the purview of DAS. The governor’s office said information about filling the vacancy will be provided at a future date.
“Matt has been with the state since 2024. I appreciate his public service in fulfilling the role of CIO,” Pillen said in a news release. “I wish Matt the best as he moves forward with his career.”
McCarville’s tenure as Nebraska CIO started in April 2024, and prior to joining the state’s government, he served as the University of Colorado’s CIO.
His time holding Nebraska’s top tech office began amid controversy over an email from his office that encouraged employees to attend a legislative hearing on Pillen’s tax plan, which included campaign material supporting the proposal.
During his July 2024 confirmation hearing, McCarville apologized, calling the email a “mistake” and saying he had not intended to advocate for the plan. The incident prompted a state senator to file an ethics complaint over the potential misuse of government resources, and raised questions about McCarville’s ability to maintain political impartiality in state contracting. However, his nomination advanced out of committee on a 5-0 vote.
In a LinkedIn post reflecting on his time leading Nebraska’s Office of the CIO, McCarville said the office made significant progress on technology modernization, cybersecurity, data analytics and workforce development.
Among the accomplishments he cited were the first deployment of the Nebraska National Guard’s Cyber Protection Team, reduced reliance on contractors and more than $40 million in annual recurring budget cuts. He also said the office consolidated its technology rates from 167 to fewer than 20.
He also highlighted efforts to build internal technology talent and reduce reliance on contractors, and expanded data analytics and business intelligence capabilities.
McCarville thanked state employees and colleagues across a number of state agencies, adding that he intends to spend more time with family over the next few months before announcing his next steps.
“Leadership is measured not only by what gets done, but by the people empowered and the foundation left for those who carry the mission forward, and I’m proud of what we built together,” McCarville said on LinkedIn. “For now, I’m enjoying some much needed time with my young family through the holidays and am excited to share where I’m going soon.”
