CIOs/ CTOs

CIO/CTO noun: CIO/CTO; plural noun: CIOs/CTOs a chief technology (or technical or information) officer, a senior executive with responsibility for managing the technological requirements of a company or other institution.

Gino Capito TeleComp

As chief technology officer and one of the original founders of TeleComp, Gino Capito oversees the company’s internal data and security infrastructure and software development divisions. Originally from central Arkansas, he worked as a mechanical engineer for Orbit Valve while attending UA Little Rock until the internet appeared on the scene. Realizing its potential of the Internet, Gino then focused his energies on software development and website creation for businesses needing a web presence. During this time, he changed his college major to computer science and learned more than 15 programming languages.

Capito and his family moved to northwest Arkansas in 1998, and he began working as a network engineer. Shortly thereafter, he co-founded Platinum Technologies, a company focused on networking, servers and Cisco VoIP.

In 2003, he and a partner acquired Dixieland Computers and merged all client bases into what is now known as TeleComp, one of Arkansas’ largest privately owned technology companies, with more than 100 employees in seven offices across Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Jason Cathey Bank OZK

With 15 years of experience as a banking technology executive, Jason Cathey is responsible for providing leadership and strategic vision to a diverse Bank OZK team dedicated to the digital transformation of community banking including best-in-class mobile and on,line banking experiences. He also oversees the design, development and deployment of internal technology and data solutions across all Bank OZK lines of business while maintaining strict adherence to regulatory compliance requirements. In addition, Jason oversees OZK Labs, the bank’s in-house innovation hub, repeatedly recognized by the industry as one of the best places to work in fintech.

Cathey previously served as Bank OZK’s Chief Security Officer, directing the overall planning and execution of the information security, third-party risk management, data risk management, data privacy, fraud risk management and corporate security programs.

Eric Chinn Westrock Coffee

Eric Chin serves as the chief information officer of Westrock Coffee Company. He oversees the information technology needs and helps to enable the business to effectively and proactively serve customers through the use of technology. Chinn started his career in operations and logistics and has previously worked in the food and grocery, beverage distribution, sporting goods and retail industries.

Chinn has held various roles throughout his career including chief operating officer at Mack’s Prairie Wings, division vice president at McLane Company and state operations director at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. He earned a master’s degree in leadership from Baker College and received his BBA from Harding University in Searcy.

Jeff Dean Arkansas Department of Human Services

Jeff Dean serves as the chief information officer for the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS). He has more than 30 years of experience in the information technology industry and 20 years of experience working for the state. Dean began his IT career at IBM, assisting in the startup of a national support center for the organization. Upon his departure from IBM, he began an IT consulting business with two partners, specializing in enterprise solutions including backup/recovery and high availability.

Dean began his public service career at the Arkansas Department of Information Systems (DIS) in 2003. While at DIS, he held UNIX systems administrator, enterprise systems director and chief operating officer roles. In January 2016, he accepted the DHS CIO position, and is in the process of modernizing the department’s legacy solutions, eliminating manual processes and reducing duplicate solutions.

Daron Frederick Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas

Daron Frederick was named chief information officer for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas in 2023. He joined the cooperatives in 2013. Frederick’s career before joining the electric cooperatives included a 16-year tenure in the United States Navy, serving as a team leader/ developer for an international banking software organization, serving as a chief information officer in the health care industry, working as the general manager of a nationwide tax service, holding the role of vice president/CIO for a national trucking company and serving as the information technology manager for the Arkansas State Supreme Court.

His role as CIO for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas involves guiding the vast technology, information security and communications networks that enable the electric cooperatives to provide reliable, affordable energy to the state’s 1.3 million electric cooperative members.

Scott Hambuchen

First Orion

Scott Hambuchen serves as the CIO at First Orion, the leading provider of branded communication solutions for enterprises and a 2022 “Inc. 5000” company. Throughout his career spanning over three decades, he has held leadership roles at Acxiom and Gryphon Networks.

In his current role, he oversees the development of First Orion’s emerging branded-calling technology, which allows enterprises to brand outgoing phone calls with their name, the reason for calling and the logo on the call recipient’s mobile device.

Rob Horan

Farmers & Merchants Bank

Rob Horan is a senior vice president and serves as chief information officer at Farmers & Merchants Bank. In this role, Horan created and implemented a strategy to modernize banking platforms and to mobile-enable bankers to “take the bank” to the customer. In addition to the information technology teams, he also supports process improvement and efficiency efforts within the bank, is responsible for digital banking, debit, and payment platforms and has oversight of customer support through the bank’s solutions center.

Over the last 30 years, he has served in the operations, finance and technology space for banks and the financial services industry. His primary focus is to make a difference by taking a technology forward approach to serving and supporting customers and teammates in the community banking and large national bank space.

Brian Keltch University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Brian Keltch serves as the associate vice chancellor and chief information officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In his role, he provides vision and leadership for developing and implementing information technology initiatives on multiple UA Little Rock campuses. Additionally, he oversees all aspects of the university’s information technology and systems. His belief that IT plays a vital role in tangible campus outcomes helps his team provide high-end support for university priorities.

Key focus areas include an implementation of a new ERP, security hardening and infrastructure upgrades. Prior to joining UA Little Rock, Keltch worked in IT leadership positions with Northrop Grumman for 29 years, most recently in Little Rock, where he was responsible for providing information technology products and services in the state. He holds a master’s degree in systems engineering and software engineering from Southern Methodist University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from UA Little Rock.

Steve Krogull University of Arkansas

Steve Krogull is the chief information officer and associate vice chancellor of information technology services at the University of Arkansas. He began serving in the role as an interim leader in March 2020 before being permanently named to the position a few months later. Krogull joined the UA’s IT Services organization