RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today named Gerald “Jerry” L. Fralick of Chapel Hill to serve as the state’s Chief Information Officer (CIO).  George Bakolia, who was appointed Chief Information Officer in 2002, will stay on as Senior Deputy Chief CIO, a deputy position that is currently vacant.

“Jerry and George have years of experience and North Carolina will continue to be a technology leader under their direction,” said Perdue.

Fralick was president and owner of JFCS, Inc., a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business that provided marketing services to IT companies.   Prior to JFCS, Fralick was CIO of the Office of Justice Programs for the U.S. Department of Justice and has more than 30 years experience working for the federal government in Washington, D.C.  He was also the first elected chairperson for the Federal Grants Executive Board, overseeing efforts of grants consolidation within the federal government.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in economics from LeMoyne College in New York and his Master’s degree in computers and management of information technology from American University in Washington, D.C.

Bakolia has 30 years of experience in information systems in both the public and private sectors. Prior to his appointment by Governor Mike Easley in 2002, he was the Chief Information Officer at the North Carolina Department of Justice. He spent more than a decade in the private sector before joining state government. Bakolia worked for the Unisys Corporation, supporting United Airlines as well as state of North Carolina clients from 1985 until 1990. He held various positions at Sperry Corporation from 1979 to 1985. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science at CUNY Queens College in New York.

The State CIO has dual roles in managing information technology for the State of North Carolina. Statewide responsibilities that cut across agency lines include project approval and oversight, IT procurement, security and information technology planning and budgeting. The State CIO also plays an operational role by leading the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), which supplies some of the information technology used by state agencies and local governments.