Sriram Chari has accepted the position of executive director of Administrative Information Systems (AIS) in Information Technology Services (ITS), effective Nov. 1. Chari's appointment follows a competitive national search and ITS is grateful to all of the candidates for their interest in the position.

Chari has worked as director of middleware IT operations at Emory University for the past seven years, providing executive oversight, mentoring, and leadership with advanced technical knowledge to a team of five senior managers and 40 staff members and managing annual operating budget of $7 million. He has been responsible for leading strategic initiatives and business plans spanning service management, identity and access management, webhosting and research IT, integration, and database management.

Prior to joining Emory, Chari worked as an IT director for Elevon Inc., an enterprise architect for Suntrust Bank, and a developer and delivery manager at Allstate Insurance. He holds a master of business administration degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master of Computer Science Information Systems degree from Northern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Madras in India.

"We are fortunate to have Sriram and I am confident he will thrive in this role," says Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer Steve Fleagle. "He has a track record of driving innovation and change by removing barriers, applying financial acumen, and unifying employees, systems, and processes. He is a leader who sees the big picture, listens to and motivates others, and has sound judgment and decision-making skills. He also has extensive knowledge of higher education technologies, with a history of managing complex projects, working in partnerships, and proactively foreseeing challenges and organizing solutions. "

Chari will work with the current AIS leader, Mike Noel, for a few weeks prior to Noel’s retirement from the position to help ensure a smooth transition.

"I can’t thank Mike enough for all he has done throughout his 35-year career here, and we look forward to welcoming Sriram to the University of Iowa," Fleagle says.