Ken Pierce’s arrival in 2015 launched an era of technological innovation for Texas State University. Assuming the role of Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, Pierce’s vision was clear from the start: leverage technology to improve the working, teaching, and learning experience. Throughout his tenure, Pierce drove achievement with advanced and sustainable tech solutions.
More than a leader, Pierce is a trailblazer. During his tenure, the University Libraries achieved membership in the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) and prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The visionary behind the Alkek One technoverse, Pierce worked with various teams to see its installation and opening. The Wittliff Collections, sitting in a place of honor atop the Alkek Library, highlights Pierce’s dedication to not only Texas State, but also to the broader southwestern Texas region, as he dramatically increased the collection’s acquisitions and oversaw the complete renovation of the Wittliff’s visitors’ space. Pierce’s establishment of the Archives and Research Center serves to preserve priceless artifacts from Texas State’s history and creates space for the Wittliff’s growth in the years to come.
Pierce’s determination to streamline processes paved the way for campus-wide adoption of major cloud-based services including the Microsoft 365 Office Suite of tools, and the Canvas Learning Management System, among others. Making major enhancements to information security, Pierce introduced DUO multifactor authentication, updated risk assessments, and worked with the team to eliminate password complexity requirements. Along the way, he championed accessibility, and launched platforms like Bobcat Digital Signs, Faculty Qualifications, Qualtrics, and the Teaching Space of Tomorrow.
A man of many hats, Pierce concurrently served as the CIO and Information Resource Manager (IRM) for the Texas State University System and held leadership positions in organizations such as the Lonestar Education and Research Network (LEARN) and the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC).
Even as he anticipates retirement, Pierce has ambitious plans: launching home projects, playing golf, bowling, indulging an avid love of cycling, and strumming his guitars. He still intends to call San Marcos “home,” and looks forward to visiting The Wittliff Collections—a legacy of his contributions. While the IT Division will miss Pierce’s warmth and humor, we wish him all the best in his next adventure. Thank you, Mr. Pierce, for exploring paths outside the box and taking us along on the journey. Once a Bobcat always a Bobcat.
Kimberly Conner is a publications writer for IT Marketing and Communications.
