Jim Ridgill, Information Technology Manager for the City of Greer, is one of nine public sector leaders from South Carolina to successfully complete the 2011 Certified Government Chief Information Officers (CGCIO) Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Government.
The program, offered in conjunction with the Municipal Association of South Carolina, is the first program in the nation specific to local government CIOs. The program encompasses the broad spectrum of responsibilities facing those IT professionals, including management, leadership, legal, regulatory, and enterprise topics.
“As new technologies and regulations emerge, the IT professional must also keep pace with the technical, regulatory, and managerial changes that accompany these opportunities,” Ridgill said. “This program has afforded me the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the skill sets necessary to assess, implement, and manage the integration of these opportunities into an established system. Classes also provided excellent opportunities for networking, looking at the next advances in IT, and discussing ways to stay ahead of those advances.”
The course instruction, about 240 hours, covered strategic technology planning, communication, project management, emerging trends, risk assessment and management, acquisition management, change management, leadership, security, legal issues and financial trends.
Ridgill joined the city as its first information technology manager in 2007 and oversaw installation of the IT infrastructure for the city’s new municipal complex.
“The program seeks to elevate the position of the dedicated and talented cadre of public sector technology leaders who work tirelessly to serve the public good through strategic investments in technology,” the program’s director, Dr. Shannon Tufts, said. “Jim is a testament to everything that embodies public service. We are very proud to be associated with such a committed, talented, and service-oriented IT professional.”