Chief Information Security Officer and Executive Director, Information Technology Governance, Risk and Compliance in the Office of Information Technology, Doug Ooley, is retiring after 21 years of service at Boise State.
Ooley began working at Boise State in 2000, first in Administrative Accounting, then moving to the Office of Information Technology in 2003.
After several years as a PeopleSoft developer, analyst, and administrator, he transitioned to a focus on PeopleSoft security. That led to a nine-year stint as the head of OIT’s Cybersecurity team, adding IT Governance, Risk and Compliance to his responsibilities along the way.
Longtime OIT colleague Diana Buie defined Ooley’s leadership style by offering a quote from Louis Pasteur: “Fortune favors the prepared mind.”
“Doug is a planner at heart and he consistently sets others up for success,” Buie said. “His forward-thinking leadership has influenced foundational IT security policies throughout campus, and his dedication to the Boise State community and service to the campus will certainly continue to have a lasting impact on IT security services.”
Mark Heil, vice president and chief financial officer, recalled Ooley’s steady refrain: “Not on my watch.” “I have appreciated Doug’s commitment to keeping student and employee information safe, along with protecting university information and applications,” says Heil. “It’s been a pleasure working with Doug and I wish him well in this next chapter of his life.”
According to Chief Information Officer Max Davis-Johnson, Ooley has put his stamp on everything involving cybersecurity at Boise State. “Doug has taught us that cybersecurity is more than just OIT’s domain. It is a team sport with equal parts: anticipation, education, detection, reaction, and resilience.”
“Doug has mastered the art of balancing risk, cost, and ease of use,” added Davis-Johnson. “He will be missed by all of us. I cannot thank him enough for giving us such a sound foundation to build on moving forward.”
Ooley will be missed, but the security initiatives and processes he established will live on.
“It has been the honor of my professional life to have worked with such passionate and dedicated individuals for over 20 years,” Ooley said. “I will miss the amazing workplace camaraderie and, to some extent, the significant challenges associated with cybersecurity and technology in higher education. Above all, I leave knowing I have been, and always will be, a Boise State Bronco for life.”
Retirement Celebration
The campus community is invited to a retirement celebration for Doug Ooley at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 17 in the Lookout Room in the Student Union Building.
More from Colleagues
“Back when Doug and I first started working together we used to head over to Quizno’s for lunch nearly every day. We were totally in a rut but we had a lot of good discussions regarding rebuilding cars and what the perfect shop would be like when we retire. I think Doug is there now. Also, Doug used to share an office with Sue Riley in the Administration Building. They had these crappy window air conditioning units that would only blow cool air until around 10 a.m. Then it just got roasting in that office. I used to stand in the doorway to talk to him because it was a good 10 degrees cooler outside his office than in it. Doug would work out all the time and it was tough on him to cool down in there.” – Willie Swarts, director, Office of Continuous Improvement
“Doug joined our team in administrative accounting in 2000. He was working his way through his Management Information Systems degree and, despite that stress, he always had a great sense of humor. I remember he shared a small office with Willie Swarts in what is now the provost’s suite, and they loved to talk about cycling. He moved over to OIT once he graduated and started our cybersecurity program. I have enjoyed working with Doug as he is smart, thoughtful, and a wonderful person. He will be missed, and I wish him relaxation and fun in retirement!” – Jo Ellen Dinucci, associate vice president for Finance and Administration