KANSAS CITY, MO.- Taking a cue from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Strategic Plan that advocates a 21st-­century global technology presence, the museum has hired Doug Allen as its first Chief Information Officer. Allen owns a consulting firm in Overland Park, Kansas that specializes in helping organizations deal with the rapid speed of technological change. Allen’s hiring follows an intense two years in which the Nelson-Atkins hosted two technology roundtables, one local and one national, attended by stakeholders and technology leaders from museums around the country.

“I’m delighted that Doug has a passion for the arts as well as a demonstrated excellence in integrating systems in the for-profit and the not-for-profit worlds,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell CEO & Director of the Nelson-Atkins. “He will play a key role in unleashing the potential of our collections to serve a global audience.”

As CIO, Allen will be responsible for the conception, development, implementation and support of comprehensive information strategies. He will ensure the holistic integration of technology to deliver the mission of the Nelson-Atkins, support the staff, and operate the institution.

“It’s fascinating to see how many museums have hired CIOs and have invested so much in this position in recent years,” said Zugazagoitia. “I look forward to the Nelson-Atkins joining the national dialogue about enhancing digital platforms that will bring art and people together, generate potential visitors, and provide access to scholars around the world, at the same time we enhance our internal data bases and systems.”

The creation of the position of CIO is one of six goals outlined in the Nelson-Atkins’ Strategic Plan. Nelson-Atkins leadership studied recent CIO positions at institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The list of best practices written by the Chief Digital Officer at Harvard University was also considered.

“Our strategic planning process led us to define this key position and through an extensive national search, Doug Allen rose to the top. We are delighted that his career and family are deeply-rooted in Kansas City and his rich experience will add to the senior leadership team at the Nelson-Atkins,” said Nelson-Atkins Board Chair Shirley Bush Helzberg. “It is an enormous responsibility to create a position of this magnitude, and we took that assignment very seriously."

The technology roundtables were convened by the Nelson-Atkins to gather information from other museums and corporations about the role of a CIO. They were moderated and attended by a “who’s who” of the digital world: Nik Honeysett, the former Head of Administration at the J. Paul Getty Museum; Kanon Cozad, Senior Vice President and CIO for TranSystems; Rob Stein, Director for Research, Technology & Engagement at the Indianapolis Museum of Art who is now the Deputy Director of the Dallas Museum; Doug Hegley, Director of Technology at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Sam Quigley, Vice President for Collections Management, Imaging & Information Technology/ Museum CIO at The Art Institute of Chicago; and Tina Olsen, Director of the Williams College Museum of Art.

Guests at the roundtables included Jeff Geheb, VML’s Chief Technology Officer; Cameron Cushman, The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Senior Analyst; Mark Logan, Senior Vice President of Digital Innovation at Barkley; and Dennis A. Ehrich, Jr., CIO of Service Management Group.

“The Nelson-Atkins is at a great moment of transition, and the challenges of technology will determine future success,” said Allen. “This is an exciting time to join the leadership team of the museum, and I look forward to utilizing my systems experience to share the research, scholarship and art of this great museum with the world.”

Kanon Cozad, who contributed to the museum’s roundtable discussions, found the process incredibly fulfilling.

“The way information is synthesized, shared and enhanced is largely technology-based,” he said. “Traditional modes of information delivery must be more engaging than ever, especially with younger audiences. A museum CIO is uniquely qualified to engage scholars and also present different vehicles for delivering information.”

The role of CIO could not have been created without Nelson-Atkins Trustee Paul DeBruce, whose vision and generosity will help support the position during the first two years while a comprehensive technology and digital plan is developed.

“I embrace the need for the Nelson-Atkins to use technology as a platform to share the museum with the world,” said DeBruce. “The CIO position will enhance different levels of discovery, from video labels in the museum to encouraging visitors’ curiosity after leaving. Technology has untapped potential to allow us to further our mission in the 21st-­century.”

As the owner of Allens Consulting in Overland Park, Allen specialized in providing solutions for organizations transitioning from current legacy environments to modern technology solutions. He was formerly the CIO of Pioneer Financial Services, leading the implementation of the loan management system and directing the re-organization of the IT team from a development shop to one focused on implementing solutions from outside specialized providers. Allen is also the former CIO and Director of Network Services at Johnson County Community College, where he managed three divisions with a technology budget of more than $7 million.

A strong supporter of the Kansas City arts community, Allen has been a member of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus since 1980 and has participated in local community theatre and other performing arts ensembles.