BISMARCK, N.D (KXNET) — North Dakota’s new boss in charge of IT picked a frigid time to move to the state.

Kuldip Mohanty was appointed for the role of Chief Information Officer for the North Dakota Information Technology Department by Governor Burgum and moved to the state two weeks ago.

Mohanty is from India but has worked in IT for around 30 years, including taking positions in Chicago, London, and Zurich.

His department is tasked with looking over the state’s computer equipment and software, as well as protecting it from cybersecurity threats.

“IT because is your competitive differentiator,” Mohanty explained. “Because without technology, there is no life today if you think about it. Today, for everything, you have an app on your phone. Can we be an app-like experience for our citizens?”

North Dakota’s IT department has around a $275 million operating budget, and nearly 500 full-time workers.

To learn more about the department, visit this link.