Greg Hart has been named Washington University in St. Louis’ first chief technology officer (CTO), following a nationwide search, announced Jessie Minton, vice chancellor for technology and chief information officer. Hart begins the role March 20.
As the CTO, Hart will collaborate with university stakeholders and information technology leaders across campus and BJC HealthCare to align technology strategy with the university’s vision, mission and goals.
“His proven track record of employing lean practices to maximize efficiency, coupled with his diligent focus on fostering relationships and cultivating partnerships to develop and advance strategic goals through technology, make him a natural fit for this position,” Minton said.
Lean practices within business involve establishing management strategies to eliminate waste, optimize the use of resources and enhance organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Hart will work closely with two other newly created WashU Information Technology leadership roles — Amy Walter, deputy chief information officer and associate vice chancellor for research, clinical and medical education technologies, and a deputy chief information officer and associate vice chancellor for administrative and academic technologies. That person hasn’t been named. All three will report to Minton.
“This is the opportunity to build upon a solid foundation,” Hart said. “I am really impressed by how forward-thinking WashU is by having this position. That’s not normal for a university, as this is a relatively new role within the industry at large.”
During the first 90 days, Hart said he plans to focus on listening and learning. But he will dive in to some immediate infrastructure upgrades, such as a Medical Center network infrastructure project that is part of the “Here and Next” strategic plan.
“IT exists solely in my mind to enable the business,” Hart said. “If we’re not enabling, we need to take a step back and understand why.”
For more than 16 years, Hart has developed technology strategies to enhance overall technical capabilities and innovation. Most recently, he has been vice president of corporate engineering for Faith Technologies Inc. of Lenexa, Kan., since 2020. Prior to that, he served for four years as vice president of enterprise project management and performance improvement for Mosaic Life Care, a four-hospital health system in Kansas City, Mo. Previously, from 2006-2016, he held several leadership positions at Cardinal Health in Dublin, Ohio.
Hart specializes in the areas of information technology management, artificial intelligence, process management and systems analysis. Hart earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and technology from California University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in business administration from Ashland University in Ohio and a PhD in information technology management from Capella University in Minneapolis.
