SmartBank has announced that Daniel Hereford has been hired as executive vice president, chief information officer. In this role, he will drive the bank’s IT strategy and provide oversight for all the bank’s IT services. He will be responsible for providing leadership to the IT team to ensure high quality client service and seamless collaboration both internally and with external partners, said officials.
“Daniel is a strong IT leader with a wealth of experience in establishing and directing financial IT strategies,” said Billy Carroll, president and CEO of SmartBank. “Keeping financial records and client information secure is our main priority and with Daniel’s extensive background in developing and maintaining strong cybersecurity frameworks, he is the perfect fit to lead our IT team, and we look forward to his contributions.”
Mr. Hereford has more than 20 years of experience in creating IT infrastructures, business solutions, and cybersecurity frameworks. Previously he served as chief information officer with both Midsouth Bank and NBC Bank. He was also the cybersecurity practice principal consultant for Alchemy Technology Group, LLC in Houston, Texas.
“I’m thrilled to join SmartBank during these unique times where so much is changing in the banking and technology spaces,” said Mr. Hereford. “My career experience has prepared me to hit the ground running and drive the bank’s strategy forward while ensuring the protection of the bank’s technology infrastructure and client information.”
Mr. Hereford graduated from The University of New Orleans in 2002. He holds several technical certifications including Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, Certified Information Systems Security Professional and CCENT, CCNA Route/Switch, CCNA Security.