Canadian IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group is working with the country’s Municipal Information Systems Association (Misa) to build smart cities and create social, environmental and economic outcomes through technology.

Misa is Canada’s national voice of municipalities as it relates to information and communications technologies. The association helps facilitate collaboration and the sharing of information, skills and resources between Canadian cities and member associations.

“Misa has a long-standing relationship with Info-Tech Research Group,” said Misa president Connie McCutcheon. “Their expert analysis on timely topics, trends and priorities reports, diagnostics and keynotes are a major benefit to our Canadian municipalities.”

Info-Tech has a public sector executive services team that is structured to help members at every level of government. This includes guidance on how to improve how government serves its constituents in the country, provinces, territories and municipalities.

“We are excited to partner with Misa Canada and their members,” said Cole Cioran, managing partner at Info-Tech Research Group. “Our experienced team of Canadian public sector technology executives is working with our provincial and municipal government members to create an innovative environment to drive social, economic and environmental prosperity through technology for all communities across the country.”

Info-Tech’s public sector team includes experts with decades of experience helping Canadian governments and their constituents. This experience will provide Misa members with research and advisory services through insights, data-driven frameworks and easy-to-use, consulting-quality deliverables.

The team supporting Misa includes:

• Cole Cioran began his career as a software developer before taking on roles in infrastructure, software development, business analysis and enterprise architecture. Prior to leading Info-Tech’s applications research and advisory team, Cioran was the executive counsellor to the treasury board secretariat of Canada.
• Christine Coz has over 30 years of IT experience leading IT and security teams in municipal and provincial government, healthcare, not-for-profit and the financial sector. Before joining Info-Tech, she spent five years as CIO and CISO in the healthcare sector, working with private sector and government stakeholders.
• Theresa Hughes has more than 25 years of experience in IT and has worked with CXOs across multiple business lines. Before joining Info-Tech, she was vice president of technology at Omers, as well as the vice president of technology for Latin America and the vice president of international operational risk at American Express.
• Jim Kirk draws on his experience gained over 20 years working in the public sector and higher education. Prior to joining Info-Tech, he was an IT leader at the Ontario Public Service and the Halifax Regional Municipality, and the technology leader for Nova Scotia Community College.
• Rob Meikle has spent more than 25 years in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to Info-Tech, Meikle was the former CIO for the city of Toronto and the CIO for the city of Brampton.
• David Wallace has 41 years of experience in the public and private sectors, with expert-level knowledge in all information management and technology domains. Before joining Info-Tech, he served as the executive director at the Ontario Universities’ application centre. He was also the first CIO of the University of Waterloo, the first CIO of the city of Toronto, and the first CTO of the government of Ontario.

Info-Tech Research Group is an information technology research and advisory firm, serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The Canadian-owned and operated company employs over 1300 people and produces unbiased and relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, it has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything from actionable tools to analyst guidance.