Chris Gergen named Chief Information Security Officer at State of North Dakota

North Dakota Information Technology named Chris Gergen as the state's Chief Information Security Officer, promoting him from his prior role as Interim CISO. He joined NDIT in 2019 and had most recently served as Director of Cyber Operations.

According to NDIT, Gergen will keep leading the agency's cybersecurity strategy in the new role, with a people-centered focus. According to the State of North Dakota page, Gergen was filling in for Michael Gregg when he became the interim CISO. The release links Gergen's appointment to a state commitment to investing in leadership and to developing talent from within.

According to the release, Gergen has nearly two decades of experience across information technology, risk management and cybersecurity. Before he joined the state government, Gergen held IT and cybersecurity roles in the private sector, including at the Bank of North Dakota and the business services firm Deloitte, the State of North Dakota page reports. Gergen joined NDIT as the Cyber Analysis and Response Lead, a role in which he helped establish a Cyber Operations Center for the State of North Dakota, NDIT says. As Director of Cyber Operations, he led teams that were responsible for delivering cybersecurity services, according to NDIT. According to the release, Gergen has a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of North Dakota, with a minor in information systems.

North Dakota has taken on a growing role in interstate cybersecurity operations, according to the State of North Dakota page. In 2022, leaders of the state's cyber operations center said the cooperative had grown to a total of 10 states and planned to add five more.