“I am really excited to join CDCR,” Gillespie told Industry Insider — California. “I am excited to be joining such a dedicated and committed team, supporting the mission of CDCR. There are several exciting projects and initiatives in progress at CDCR, and I am looking forward to doing what I can to help the team deliver on those efforts.”
In the private sector before his state service began, Gillespie held engineering and supervisorial roles with Comtek Computer Systems, Capital Network Solutions, and Kelly & Swain. He then owned and operated Connect IT Data Systems for 11 years.
He told Industry Insider that he admires the loyalty and commitment of the CDCR team.
“One thing that struck me, as I talk to the team and meet everyone, there are a lot of team members that have been part of CDCR for many years, which I think speaks to the level of commitment of the organization’s leadership and support for the team,” he said.
Gillespie was featured in June in an Industry Insider “One-on-One” interview in which he discussed his approach to management.
“My style is rooted in collaboration and communication,” he said. “I am very open to new ideas and innovative ways to solve business problems. I believe that business drives IT, and IT’s role is to continually evolve to support program areas and business units to provide services to help the people of California. I have been fortunate enough to work with some great leaders in the state that share my belief in empowering and enabling people by creating inclusiveness and opportunities.”
Gillespie, a Rocklin resident, received his Bachelor of Science degree in business (IT, management information systems and services) from the University of Phoenix, and he earned his Master of Public Administration degree from Arkansas State University. He is also an alumnus of CDT’s Information Technology Leadership Academy.
