South Dakota’s Journey of IT Transformation: A Continuous Commitment to Resilience and Innovation
In South Dakota, resilience is not just a goal; it’s an ongoing commitment woven into the fabric of the state’s IT infrastructure. Under the leadership of South Dakota’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) Mark Wixon, significant strides have been made to bolster resilience, modernization, and citizen engagement. As the state embarks on 2026, the mission to enhance government service delivery and ensure technological advancement continues unabated.
Mark Wixon, who took on the role of South Dakota’s CIO and Commissioner of the Bureau of Information and Technology (BIT) in May 2025, emphasizes the importance of collaboration among state agencies. “For government services to be really effective, we need to have strong collaboration across and with the agencies,” Wixon stated, underscoring the state’s focus on strengthening agency technology and interagency cooperation.
Capability modeling is the strategic tool used by South Dakota to align technology advancements with specific agency goals and service delivery. This approach not only supports technology upgrades that directly align with agency missions but also fosters a risk-based approach to application modernization.
Cybersecurity remains a top priority, with an ongoing quest to enhance the state’s resilience against evolving threats. Wixon notes, “Cybersecurity is never going to be a finished project,” highlighting the necessity for a culture of continuous improvement. The state’s cybersecurity roadmap embraces industry standards and focuses on maintaining an ever-ready stance against security challenges.
In August, South Dakota faced a critical test of its resilience when a network issue impacted the State Data Center. This incident prompted a thorough assessment of critical services, driving efforts to enhance recovery and modernization processes further. Governor Larry Rhoden’s establishment of the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force (GRIT) in June 2025 strengthened the state’s dedication to integrating resilience into modernization efforts.
Furthermore, South Dakota is at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly into its operations. The state is actively developing an AI Center of Excellence and has crafted an acceptable-use policy to guide employees in utilizing generative AI, ensuring productivity gains without compromising sensitive data. AI technologies are being incorporated into capability modeling for modernization, further demonstrating South Dakota’s innovative approach.
One key initiative, Project BISON, intends to revolutionize South Dakota’s financial processes through an enterprise resource planning system, slated for launch in 2027. This ambitious project is a testament to the state’s foresight in ensuring its financial systems meet modern operational needs.
Ensuring effective communication in crisis situations, South Dakota is investing in expanding state radio coverage for first responders. By fortifying the network’s resilience and adding redundancy, the state ensures seamless communication during emergencies, thereby protecting public safety.
South Dakota leads by example in cybersecurity planning by adopting a balanced-budget state approach without relying on federal funding. This independent strategy ensures resilience in its cybersecurity initiatives, avoiding potential impacts from changes in federal funding.
As South Dakota looks to the future, the commitment to continuous improvement in IT infrastructure, modernization, and citizen engagement remains a cornerstone of its strategy. As Wixon aptly puts it, “It’s kind of like maintenance on your car. Once you buy the car, it doesn’t mean you’re done.”
For more detailed views from South Dakota and updates on these initiatives, continue following developments in technology and resilience through the state’s ongoing projects.