James Thornton

CIO at RVBionics

Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself

What path have you taken to your current position?

I was an engineer and cavalry officer in the U.S. Army for 10 years. In the Army, I developed a fascination for cybersecurity and data visualization for military assets and critical infrastructure.

Then while working in data management as a civilian, I saw a lot of opportunities for improving communication between operational and IT infrastructure.

My experiences abroad while in and out of the Army finally led me to working on OT systems in Latin America.

Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?

My passion has always been technical leadership and engineering management. Since I was 22 years old, I’ve been leading teams of technicians and engineers.

By my late twenties, I was commanding a cavalry headquarters troop with over 100 soldiers. However, the transition from fast-paced military leadership to longer-term technical projects in the civilian world was challenging.

Fortunately, it has been very rewarding to continue working with teams to solve problems where I can make a large impact. My goal is to continue growing RVBioinics and train the next generation of technical leaders to improve and protect OT.

Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?

Thankfully, I have several great mentors that I met while I was in the Army. My education at the United States Military Academy at West Point launched me into a career with a network of leaders whom I am humbled to be associated with.

My senior commanders almost always took me under their wing and coached me to strive for excellence and continual improvement. Today, I routinely collaborate with former military officers and seek their professional guidance. 

How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?

I expect a lot more consolidation in the IT sector for the next several years. However, in Latin America, we’re playing catch up with more fragmentation and uncertainty. For both advanced and developing markets, leaders will always need to be resilient.

Nobody knows how much or how quickly new technology will affect the way we manage operations. Our job is to use the latest and greatest tools to help our customers as best we can.

What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?

Working hard and communicating well have always paid off. We all want to be on a team with others who we enjoy working with and who can help us solve problems.

That’s not going to change anytime soon. However, there does seem to be a trend where people’s attention span is shortening. Also, the desire to go outside and socialize is decreasing.

My guess is that the ability to focus for long periods of time and lead a team will increase in value.

Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?

Personally, I love to write so I can share my knowledge and experiences with others. I’m always thrilled to collaborate with experts on writing projects.

One of the best feelings of satisfaction I get is when I publish something that is the best out there and available for people to use.

My goal is to write as much high-quality material as possible while I continue to learn by solving real problems.

What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in your career so far, and how did you overcome it?

Transitioning from the military was by far my toughest personal and professional challenge. There is a big difference in mindset between training for war and working to create value in a corporation. It took me a while to get used to communication in a corporate setting being much less urgent and more indirect than what I experienced in the Army.

Another culture shock was the difference in prioritizing quarterly and long-term results. I struggle to sympathize with professionals who are hyper-focused on their individual, quarterly KPIs instead of doing what is best for their customers or at least their company.

I’m still trying to overcome this challenge, but working with startups on high-value problems seems to help.

"Working hard and communicating well have always paid off."

How do you ensure that you and your team stay updated with the latest technology trends and industry best practices?

Professional organizations have provided me with a lot of resources. There is so much information out there, and it is impossible to sort through it all. The good news is that many professional organizations do a great job of codifying the best practices in their respective fields.

For example, the International Society of Automation (ISA) provides what I believe is the most comprehensive and effective set of resources for OT data management and cybersecurity. Being active in local chapters of professional organizations has helped me throughout my career.

Having access to publications and events or just a support group from a professional network can go a long way.

Other details that you'd like to add:
I am happy to connect with other CIOs and look forward to collaborating more with the community at CIO Circle.

A big thank you to James Thornton from RVBionics for sharing his journey to date.

If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.