NASCIO Honors Former Delaware CIO James Collins with Meritorious Service Award

LEXINGTON, Ky., Thursday, October 22 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) recognized James Collins, past NASCIO president and former chief information officer (CIO) for the State of Delaware, with the association’s Meritorious Service Award. NASCIO created the Meritorious Service Award several years ago, honoring leadership in state government and dedication to the advancement of NASCIO’s mission.

NASCIO Past President and Connecticut CIO, Mark Raymond, nominated James for this award saying, “James was an active and highly engaged member since his appointment as state CIO in Delaware. He was always willing to give his time and expertise to the association as well as to his fellow CIOs and the broader NASCIO community. In his role as president and past-president, James represented NASCIO’s mission and advocacy priorities through meetings with state and federal leaders, congressional staff and federal agencies.”

In recognizing his service to the State of Delaware, Delaware Governor John Carney made this statement: “James has been a central member of our team since day one when I asked him to continue to lead DTI and Delaware’s transition to a more digital government. But his work and expertise has never been more important than over the last six months – as we have battled this COVID-19 pandemic. James and his team have kept state workers connected throughout this crisis, making sure they could continue to deliver vital services to Delaware families. He has worked with the private sector to expand high-speed broadband service across rural Delaware and to protect Delawareans from cyber threats.”

James is a veteran of the United States Air Force and served the State of Delaware for nearly 20 years the past six years as chief information officer and head of the Department of Technology and Innovation. James served on NASCIO’s Executive Committee from 2016 to 2020, holding the leadership positions of vice president, president and immediate past president. He also served as co-chair of the NASCIO Awards Committee and Chair of the NASCIO Programs Committee.