Clark County doubles down on digital transformation to better serve its residents

CIO Bob Leek brings passion and experience to make a difference in his community

One of the largest counties in the US, Clark County, Nevada is home to more than two million residents and plays host to over 45 million visitors annually who come to experience its many options including the famous Las Vegas Strip, outdoor activities like Red Rock Canyon, and other entertainment experiences such as professional and college sports events.

Serving proudly as the new CIO of Clark County is Bob Leek, an IT veteran backed by 30 years of experience in both private and public sector roles. His career has taken him across the US with stints in Georgia, Washington, and Oregon before landing in Las Vegas. Throughout his travels, Leek has been unswerving in his passion for technology and its potential to make a difference in the lives of individuals and businesses.

Transforming government services to meet digital expectations

Leek now brings that dedication to Clark County. As head of the county’s IT department, Leek is focused on finding more efficient and effective ways to deliver government services. “These days, the public expects services to be digitally oriented. That requires us to re-think how we do things in order to provide an experience that can meet today’s digital expectations.”

He gives an example: “I’m getting ready in the morning, and I notice my towels are frayed. I have an Alexa Echo in my bathroom, and I say, ‘Alexa, I need new towels.’ I browse through some options. An hour later, the doorbell rings, and there’s a new set of towels. That’s what many people expect now.”

Leek believes that the public has a right to a similar expectation of government services. For example, he imagines a homeless person’s text to a short text code could trigger an interactive workflow that drills down to that individual’s specific needs, which might be better served by a social worker than other alternatives. On the business side, he suggests a small business owner seeking a building permit for a store expansion could have a seamless online experience with real-time visibility and text message updates into the status of their application.

“These days, the public expects services to be digitally oriented. That requires us to re-think how we do things in order to provide an experience that can meet today’s digital expectations.”

– Bob Leek, CIO, Clark County

Playing the cards right to win at digital transformation

With hundreds of services delivered to the public across 38 departments, Leek knows that digital transformation at the county will require a strategic approach to ensure that projects deliver value. He explained, “We need to bring to life an iterative, agile, and nimble approach, but we need to be very intentional about what we take on.”

To help prioritize digital upgrades, Leek views projects with a strategic lens to ensure that, first and foremost, his team’s initiatives closely align with Clark County’s specific priorities and goals. Leek detailed his process: “I apply the first filter according to the county’s strategic goals, which include things like affordable housing and access to high-speed internet connectivity. The second filter is our own IT capabilities, and the third is the business department’s capabilities and their appetite for change.”

User experience is the name of the game

A critical consideration in Leek’s approach is the end user, who will fall into three pillars: public facing, County departments, and employees. Leek noted that one of the first projects will serve employees. “The HR department wants to improve the hiring lifecycle – identifying an open position, posting the job, recruitment, interviews, job offer, and onboarding. We want to take that on to improve the employee experience.”

On the public-facing side, the team is collaborating with key partners to re-think how to provide services to County residents and businesses. Leek outlined vital questions that they want to find answers for. “How do we provide a set of services to address civic moments? It might be that I just moved to Clark County, or my civic moment is that I just got divorced. Or I want to start a new business. How can we design a digital path that activates the services that are available to people in these civic moments?”

Improving the odds with a trusted resource

As Leek undertakes his mandate as CIO at the county, he relies on the support of Info-Tech Research Group. As a long-time member of Info-Tech, Leek appreciates the unique approach Info-Tech takes. “In contrast to other advisory firms, with Info-Tech I find that 60% of the work is already done and the last 40% is working with experts, resources, and analysts. Info-Tech delivers a set of materials that I get to manipulate, update, and manage myself to achieve the outcomes that I need,” explained Leek.

Using Info-Tech’s Executive Counselor Membership, Leek takes advantage of regular meetings with a dedicated advisor who provides guidance and resources on both organizational and leadership goals. He also benefits from unlimited access to expert analysts, a full library of research content, and services such as contract reviews, where Info-Tech experts review vendor contracts to help him realize better discounts and terms.

“In contrast to other advisory firms, with Info-Tech I find that 60% of the work is already done and the last 40% is working with experts, resources, and analysts. Info-Tech delivers a set of materials that I get to manipulate, update, and manage myself to achieve the outcomes that I need.”

– Bob Leek, CIO, Clark County

Collaborative leadership to drive value

Leek knows well that a successful journey at Clark County will rely on the dedication, inspiration, and collaboration of many. “I’m one person. I am very confident in what I’m good at, but I know where I’m not. I strive to recruit, hire, and retain people that contribute to a well-rounded team, at all levels of our organization.”

Contemplating the potential for digital transformation at Clark County, Leek is proud to say that the work he does has a real-world impact: “We have a unique opportunity in government to bring technology to bear in a new and different way. I don’t think there is a better time to be in civic technology, especially at the local level. We have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. I am very excited about it.”