OMES leaders nominated for national technology and innovation awards

Congratulations to OMES leaders Steven Harpe, Jerry Moore and Joe McIntosh, who are finalists for the 2021 StateScoop 50 Awards for excellence in state technology and innovation.

During this annual event, Scoop News Group honors the nation’s top 50 state government leaders, whose experience, dedication and achievements positively impact their communities and lead to more efficient and effective state services.

OMES Executive Director Steven Harpe is a finalist for the GoldenGov: State Executive of the Year category. His 30+ years’ experience as a global technologist in the private sector fueled his leadership of OMES’ response to crucial state needs during the pandemic, including the Disaster Recovery project.

“Oklahoma is leading the nation with our digital transformation efforts,” Harpe said. “While I humbly receive this nomination, I credit the invaluable and dedicated work of our OMES employees. We knew what needed to be done to serve the people of our state and took immediate action. Our agency’s forethought will be a defining moment in Oklahoma history.”

OMES’ latest initiatives:

• Modernize enterprise human capital management and financials platforms.
• Develop a new strategy for utilizing state data opportunities.
• Foster and retain talent through enhanced training and recruiting.
• Deliver customer-centric service and ensure agencies’ needs are met.

Appointed by the Oklahoma governor with a challenge to “get stuff done,” … Harpe took this charge personally. His visionary leadership has led to a culture change within OMES and saved the agency nearly 13% of its annual budget. During the pandemic, he has enabled secure telework for the state workforce, launched a podcast focused on highlighting state services and created a cutting-edge IT infrastructure. Harpe also led the effort in creating a secondary data center, which now guarantees the protection of data for all Oklahomans.

OMES Chief Information Officer Jerry Moore is a finalist for the State Leadership category for helping the state through the pandemic, fillings technology gaps for many state agencies, like the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, which needed fast improvements to continue serving Oklahomans early in 2020.

OMES Information Services Director of Service Delivery Joe McIntosh is a finalist for the State Up and Comer category for his lead on projects such as a new data platform that enables all agencies to protect and secure shared citizen information.

“Thanks to support from leadership and dedicated focus from OMES Information Services, we are using technology to transform the way agencies engage with our citizens,” McIntosh said. “Through modern digital strategies, we can connect Oklahomans with essential resources when they most need them.

“On behalf of my team, I appreciate the recognition. This award nomination is a testament to the dedication of our employees to making Oklahoma a Top Ten state.”

VOTE before Friday, April 16, to recognize and support our state leaders’ tireless efforts to provide superior service to Oklahomans. SNG will announce the 50 winners Thursday, May 20.