After more than two decades leading global teams in IT operations and cybersecurity in the Federal government, Gerry Caron is heading to the private sector.
Today, Caron started his first private sector role as the vice president of cybersecurity at RIVA Solutions, a leader in providing innovative IT solutions to the public sector.
Most recently, Caron was the chief information officer (CIO) for the International Trade Administration (ITA). His last day was May 31. In this role, he oversaw the implementation of advanced IT services and strategies across an extensive network that includes over 2,200 employees across 100 U.S. cities and 80 international markets.
Before his tenure at ITA, Caron was CIO and assistant inspector general of IT at the Department of Health and Human Services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also served more than 18 years at the State Department in various high-level technical roles and began his public service career in the U.S. Army, where he dedicated seven years.
In an exclusive interview last year, Caron told MeriTalk that he was most proud of the ladder he climbed in the Federal government to get to where he is today.
“My first job out of the Army was answering telephones on an IT help desk as a contractor and eventually transitioning to a government position supporting the help desk as a systems administrator, and from there [I] started my climb on every rung of that ladder to eventually become a [Senior Executive Service] at the Department of State,” he said.
“Each and every rung of the ladder has taught me something along the way that I take with me,” Caron said. “My first job as a customer service help desk tech taught me a great appreciation for customer service that I still carry with me today. So, it has been a journey to reflect on and proud of where I have been [to] get to this point in my career.”
It is well known that Caron has been a leader for zero trust not only in his past roles, but also as the chair for the CIOs Council’s E-Ops Committee for ZT, the chair for ATARC’s ZT Working Group, and as a winner of GovCIO’s ZT Advocate Flywheel Award.
“Gerry’s extensive experience and proven track record in leading complex technology initiatives make him the perfect choice to lead our cybersecurity efforts,” said Raj DasGupta, the chief technology officer of RIVA Solutions. “His leadership will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our cybersecurity offerings to protect our clients against the evolving threats in today’s digital world.”
