Midland Opens Search for Information Security Officer

Midland has opened a search for an information security officer (ISO) following Kimma Wreh’s May 1 departure. She was in the role for less than a year, and technology architect Adrian Matta is serving in the interim.

The ISO oversees the city’s information security strategy and operations from within the Information Technology Services Department (ITSD). The officer is responsible for developing policy and standards, risk management, overseeing incident response and ensuring compliance with applicable frameworks. The role includes oversight of two security analysts and reports to CIO Gorgees Eskander, he confirmed via email.

According to the job posting, the scope of work includes managing audits, liaising with various departments, and developing and delivering information security training. Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in information security, computer science or similar, and have a professional security management certification. There is no closing date or salary range listed.

Eskander also confirmed that ITSD applied this year for 2027 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program funds, although approval is pending. One proposed project is for business impact analysis, business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning that is brand new.

“The intent is to establish formal BIA, continuity and recovery plans where we have not previously had documented programs in place, accounting for the current threat environment, including AI-enabled threats and other recent cyber developments,” he wrote.

Second, ITSD wants to expand tabletop exercises to include more city departments, incorporate training that reflects current threats, and include a formal after-action report to improve the process. Third, the department would like to fund a new centralized security event/incident management (SEIM) capability to improve its current approach, he said. Finally, they would fund an online training platform that provides a range of cybersecurity, AI and IT certifications.

Midland ITSD has 42 full-time employees across six divisions and about a $20 million budget, Eskander told Industry Insider — Texas in September.

The department also has a focus on “funding AI and automation initiatives that expand across multiple departments such as legal research, adaptive traffic signals, code enforcement monitoring, planning support … public safety monitoring, Jacky 2.0 and AI for IT operations. Each of these projects is designed to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, accountability and resident service.”