ATLANTA -- Mayor Shirley Franklin announced that she has selected Abe Kani as the City's first Chief Information Officer. Kani has been Chief Information Officer of Memphis since 1999, where he is credited with leading the city into the 21st century by developing an e-business model that is transforming the City into a premier digital government. The Atlanta City Council confirmed his appointment on March 17, 2003.
Mayor Franklin says, “As the City moves to make great changes in information services such as implementing Wi-Fi resources, it is essential that we have a leader that will work progressively to meet the City's technological and enterprise solutions needs. I am impressed with his professionalism, his accomplishments, and his leadership. He brings a commitment to and a knowledge of information services that is very exciting. The City Council and I welcome him to Atlanta.”
Kani is an information technology executive with over 13 years of IT experience. Before joining the City of Memphis, he served as Project Manager at IMNET Systems, Inc. and was Imaging Systems Manager at Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation. At Baptist Memorial, he successfully integrated implementation of image systems over four states and established user training programs to promote effective use of newly developed systems.
Franklin also commended Kani on the creation of an IT Governance Board in Memphis. The Board is made of members from the private sector and oversees IT policy formulation and project approval. The process encourages participation by city divisions in the identification, selection and prioritization of IT projects that are based on sound business justification.
In accepting the appointment, Kani said, “I feel strongly that joining the City of Atlanta is an excellent opportunity to take on the challenges of revitalizing the City's information technology environment. I also find the challenges facing the City to be very similar to the challenges facing the city of Memphis when I signed on there. I was able to meet those challenges very successfully and I intend to draw upon my years of progressive IT experience to transform the Department of Information Technology. My objective is to create a value-driven, customer-focused, well managed and effective IT service provider. My vision is for the City of Atlanta information technology to be firmly aligned with the business needs of city government while providing the best possible IT value with available funding. The City of Atlanta information technology will soon be recognized as an effective organization by leveraging proven and best-of-class solutions.”
Kani completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Utah State University and earned his Master of Business Administration Degree from Oklahoma State University.
Mayor Franklin commended and thanked the Arcus staffing team in Atlanta, who culled the candidate pool and advised the search committee throughout its deliberations.