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Spring 2002 Volume 5 Number 2 |
Home » MSC Today Magazine » Spring 2002 » A Perfect Match
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A Perfect Match Mike Hale, Former CIO for Georgia & Florida Brings His Business & Technology Know-how to MSC's Institute for Information Management By Sheron Smith
Preparing to graduate from a Miami high school, Hale had accepted a scholarship to play football at Georgia Tech. The West Point coach offered him a more lucrative scholarship to play for Army and told Hale that the military would open many doors for him. An Army career seemed an odd choice for a young man whose father, John Hale, made a living in show business, first as an opera singer in Europe and later as a supper club and vaudeville performer in the U.S. But Hale liked what he heard and ended up playing end for Army under the legendary coach Red Blake. An injury ended Hale's playing days at the end of his sophomore year, but his West Point education - a bachelor of science in engineering - and subsequent military service presented him with numerous opportunities, just like the coach had promised. "During a tour with the Army General Staff at the Pentagon, I gained experience using computer systems to manage various complex military programs," Hale said. "I began to see how technology could be used to help make critical decisions." Carrying that experience into his civilian life, Hale over time became one of the nation's most experienced chief information officers; that is, executives who use technology to solve problems and create opportunities for businesses and other organizations. Now, Hale has brought that expertise to Macon State College as the director of the Institute for Information Management. The Institute offers education and professional development opportunities to business, industry and government so they can take full advantage of technological innovations. "Mike's expertise and knowledge are a perfect match for the work of the Institute," said Macon State President David A. Bell. "He knows how to manage major technology projects, which means he is going to be a tremendous asset to the technology community, as well as the college." With extensive CIO experience in both the public and private sectors, Hale does seem perfectly suited to guide Macon State's 3-year-old Institute to a new level. He will focus much of his attention as Institute director on Houston County, where Robins Air Force Base and the related defense industries represent endless opportunities for partnerships with Macon State. "The Institute's potential in this region is enormous," Hale said. "I think I can help the college extend IT outreach programs to businesses and government because I understand what both have to go through when trying to manage technology."
After graduating from West Point in 1961, Hale was commissioned as a second lieutenant. By then married to his high school sweetheart, Florida State University graduate Rita Garnett, Hale served as an infantry officer in Vietnam and later taught atomic and nuclear physics at West Point as an associate professor. As battalion commander in Berlin in the mid-1970s, Hale was charged with combat readiness and occupation operations within the American sector of the city. Later assigned to the Pentagon, Hale was special assistant to the comptroller of the Army, serving as coordinator for such programs as productivity improvement, management analysis and a fraud, waste and abuse reduction initiative. Throughout his 21-year military career, Hale carved out a specialty in operations research and systems analysis. He also picked up two master's degrees, one in physics from the University of Virginia, the other in business administration from Boston University. In 1982, after retiring from the Army at the rank of colonel, Hale returned his family (he and his wife have three now-grown children) to Florida, one of the first states to recognize the importance of managing the use of technology in government operations. Florida established the Information Resource Commission and Hale became its first executive director, recommending state policy and overseeing standards in such areas as software development, computer security and strategic planning. His work in Florida was recognized by City & State magazine, which selected Hale as one of seven "Most Valuable Public Officials" for 1991. The magazine reported that Hale "changed information resources from a department that merely buys computers to one that shapes public policy in coordination with the governor's office and the Legislature - a working partnership unduplicated in any other state in the country." In 1995, Georgia conducted a national search for a CIO to plan, make policy for and oversee state information systems. The job went to Hale, who immediately went to work preparing the state for Y2K. It was a daunting task. Georgia had antiquated information systems handling virtually all crucial tasks, including the collection and processing of tax revenue. "The state was very vulnerable to Y2K," Hale said. "There were 150 mission-critical systems that had to be remediated. We made a decision not to just fix old systems but rather invest in modern systems and infrastructure, and I credit both (former Gov.) Zell Miller and Gov. Roy Barnes for their leadership in that area." The successful Hale-led modernization of Georgia's major systems earned the state recognition by three institutions - the Freedom Foundation and Digital State and Government Technology magazines - as being first in the nation in e-commerce and first in use of technology related to public safety. New Experiences After 17 years as a public sector CIO, Hale decided he wanted to move to the private sector. He developed e-commerce plans for one online retailer as vice president and chief technology officer, then later became CIO for a home improvement company. "Those were enriching experiences," Hale said. "They exposed me to the kind of challenges and pressures that aggressive, excellent companies face in today's business world." Hale had been familiar with Macon State and its information technology programs for some time. He knew Dr. Mike Staman, Peyton Anderson Professor of IT at Macon State, from CIO circles - Staman had been chief information officer for the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. Hale had also met Bell and was impressed with his vision for the college. So he jumped at the chance to take the Institute director's job. "David Bell obviously has the gift for leadership and understands what Macon State's impact on Central Georgia could be," Hale said, "so I knew that was a team I wanted to be on." Besides heading up the Institute, Hale is teaching senior seminars in the IT bachelor's degree program and helping develop Macon State's long-range technology plan. To further strengthen the Institute's ties to Houston County, Hale has an office in Warner Robins at the Advanced Technology Park. He is currently making the rounds of Houston County businesses and talking to RAFB officials to find out what their technology needs are to determine what additional outreach programs the Institute should offer. Hale will also be a key player in the development of Macon State's new Warner Robins Center on Watson Boulevard, just a half mile from the base's main gate. Eventually, the Institute will be headquartered at the new WRC. "It's important that the Institute have an agenda so people know what you're all about," Hale said. "We're going to keep an open door to industry, government, non-profits and other educational institutions to ensure that we are serving the community, with a special eye on technology growth." |
