NASTD Names Karen Robinson 2020 Corporate Affiliate Committee chair: Texas IT Veteran Known for Building Bridges Between Public & Private Sectors
George Rios is the Chief Technology Officer – Strategic Growth at KWR Strategies and a Leadership Facilitator at the Society for Information Management (SIM) Leadership Institute (SLI). With over 35 years of IT experience across the public and private sectors, George is a trusted advisor to technology and business leaders, helping organizations prepare the next generation of leaders, navigate complex priorities, foster collaboration between people and technology, and build high-performing teams.
Currently, George serves as President-Elect of the Austin SIM Chapter, part of the National SIM organization dedicated to advancing technology leadership. Over the last four years, George has served as Texas' SIM Leadership Institute (SLI) Facilitator, keeping him actively engaged with CIOs and technology leaders across all sectors and helping guide IT professionals to grow into confident and effective leaders.
Before his current roles, George served 28 years with the State of Texas, retiring in May 2021 as Chief Information Officer and Director of Information Technologies at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department—a role he held for 18 years. He also held leadership positions in the private sector with Fisher Controls International, Media Net Corporation, and Computer Science Corporation.
Recognized as a respected technology leader, George has earned accolades, including the TASSCC President's Award for IT Excellence and the CIO of the Year award from the Texas Public Sector CIO Academy. He is a past president of the Texas Association for Strategic Solutions and Collaboration in Computing (TASSCC) and has contributed to numerous civic and advisory boards.
George enjoys traveling with his wife, Melanie, and spending quality time with his family. He also finds joy in outdoor activities, traveling, learning, helping others, and cultivating his faith.
