State CIOs honor Mechling with tech champion award

Harvard lecturer Jerry Mechling won the National Association of State Chief Information Officers technology champion award for his efforts to align business and technology in government.

Mechling has helped many public officials bring together IT and business goals from a strategic perspective. The award was given on May 5 during the group's midyear meeting in Washington.

Mechling is a lecturer in public policy at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and director of the E-Government Executive Education Project.

His studies focus on the impact of information and digital technologies on individuals, groups and societal issues. He consults with public and private organizations.

NASCIO's National Technology Champion Award was developed to recognize an individual for outstanding contributions in the IT field.

The group presents the award annually to acknowledge people who promote excellence in both technology and government. Nominees may be federal, state or local officials or staff, legislators, academicians or an individual in the private sector. State CIOs are not eligible for this award.