Gov. Asa Hutchinson named Mark Myers on Thursday as the new director of the Arkansas Department of Information Systems.
Myers, currently the director of Strategic Initiatives at the secretary of state's office, will replace Herschel Cleveland, who became interim director after the Oct. 27 resignation of Claire Bailey.
Cleveland is still employed at the department, and it was unclear Thursday whether he would resume his duties as deputy director.
In a news release announcing the appointment, Hutchinson noted Myers' experience in state government, his military background and his experience in the technology industry working for Loislaw.com.
Myers wrote in the news release, "Technology changes daily, if not hourly, and the trust the Governor has put in me to lead one of the most dynamic agencies in government is both inspiring and humbling."
Myers has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a postgraduate certificate in security, stability and development in complex operations from the Naval Post-Graduate School.
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration completed an audit of the Department of Information Systems' operations and billing in December, and recommended several changes in the department's methods designed to avert federal intervention.
The Information Systems Department has been criticized in recent years over the cost of the services -- including Internet access, phone systems and other information technology services -- that it provides to other departments. Information Systems Department's previous billing problems cost Arkansas $44 million in 2006, after the state settled a lawsuit with the federal government.
Department of Finance and Administration officials also recommended cutting 49 positions in the Information Systems Department's budget for the coming year to resolve some inefficiencies, but that proposal was shot down by legislators during Joint Budget Committee hearings in December.
Metro on 01/16/2015