Building a future in technology for the next generation

Posted on Nov 28, 2018 in Featured, Main

Celebrating the Chaucer award: front row (l to r) Gail Watkins, Kaimana Bingham, Rachel Faitau, Tyler Aratani, Gov. Ige, CIO Todd Nacapuy, Todd Omura, Alfredo Bonilla; back row (l to r) Christian Phelps, Nayib Kuncar, Nathan Burkholder, Greg Dalin, Todd Ogasawara

From a nationwide first-place ranking in innovation to nurturing the next generation of coders, Hawai‘i is gaining recognition through the state’s Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS). The office is helping deliver on Governor Ige’s promise to make government more transparent, efficient and effective. To do that, ETS and chief information officer Todd Nacapuy have worked with state departments on several projects to modernize systems, reduce waste and improve accountability.

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in technology,” said Governor Ige. “Modernizing how we improve public services has been one of my top priorities since becoming governor.” The projects have ranged from complex tax and payroll system modernizations to a paper reduction pilot program that saved one million sheets of paper over a five-month period by converting to digital documents. Overall, Hawai‘i was ranked first among 50 states in the use of emerging technologies and innovation by the Center for Digital Government to streamline operations and reach policy goals.

One award-winning project is the Hawai‘i Department Dashboard, which was named the 2018 North America winner for digital innovation by Chaucer, a global consulting group. The dashboard – the first of its kind in the nation – provides a visual overview of 16 state departments’ IT projects, with timelines, status and financial breakdowns. It tracks more than $450 million in spending and more than 600 state projects. Another initiative is the Hawai‘i Annual Code Challenge (HACC), which was chosen State IT Innovation of the Year by StateScoop in Washington, D.C. The competition, conceived by Governor Ige and coordinated by ETS, brings together coders and state departments to design computer solutions to improve government operations.

Nacapuy, who has won his own share of awards as a business innovator, left a career as a tech entrepreneur in Seattle to come home to Hawai‘i. One of his goals involves creating IT career pathways in state government for future Hawai‘i college grads. I’m in a position where I can help people move up the ladder, whether it’s within state agencies or the private sector,”said Nacapuy. ”The whole community benefits because we’re helping to keep local talent here in Hawai‘i while growing a local IT workforce.”