Hyatt named Purdue’s chief information officer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University announced Thursday (May 27) that Ian Hyatt will be the university’s next chief information officer, effective Tuesday (June 1).

As chief information officer, Hyatt joins the university leadership team and will oversee information technology throughout the Purdue system and head Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), Purdue’s central IT organization. ITaP operates the "Purdue System Cloud" ‒ the IT infrastructure that spans three statewide campuses and offers a nationally recognized high-performance computing complex that supports Purdue’s computational research.

Hyatt will be charged with continuing to integrate software solutions – such as SAP, SuccessFactors and Brightspace – as well as building a robust information security strategy across the Purdue system. He will have responsibility for the annual systemwide IT spend of $160 million and staff of more than 1,100, and will directly manage ITaP’s staff of 500 and annual $85 million budget. He will report to Chris Ruhl, executive vice president and chief financial officer and treasurer.

Hyatt was selected following a national search among candidates within and outside higher education. He will succeed Karl Browning, who has served in the position since 2019 and will be retiring this year.

“Karl brought a quiet but unmistakable competence and stability to this role,” Purdue President Mitch Daniels said. “His last year may have been his most distinguished, as he brought the university’s technology through a truly unprecedented time, with the transition to online/hybrid learning, a huge uptick in demand for online services, and the installation of video/audio capture technology in all of Purdue’s classrooms. Like everywhere he has served, from business to state government, he left Purdue a stronger institution.”

Hyatt comes to Purdue from IGT Providence, where he has been the vice president of global services, logistics and fleet since 2017 and has held several other vice president roles within IGT. Hyatt is also currently serving as the state command chief master sergeant in the United States Air Force and Rhode Island Air National Guard, where he has served since 1985.

“Ian’s notable track record of serving others will be an invaluable asset to our campus community in this position,” Daniels said. “I look forward to working with him as the university continues to invest in technology and modernization under his leadership.”

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/. 

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