TOP 10 BEST Fractional CIOs
Updated February 2026 • 14 mins
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Who Are Fractional CIOs
A fractional CIO (Chief Information Officer) is a senior technology leader who works with a company on a part-time, contract, or retainer basis. They bring C-level experience to small and mid-sized businesses that either cannot afford a full-time CIO or need leadership for a specific period or project. With just a few hours per week or days per month, they provide smaller businesses with the same strategic guidance and expertise that large corporations rely on.
Fractional CIOs typically split their time across several clients, offering fresh perspectives and best practices from diverse industries. They build an IT roadmap, manage risk and cybersecurity priorities, fix operational weak points, and advise the CEO and board on technology choices. Their role is to make sure technology actually helps the company grow rather than just being a cost.
Expertise Areas
IT Strategy and PlanningFractional CIOs assess existing systems, identify gaps, and prioritize initiatives to maximize both impact and efficiency. By creating multi-year roadmaps, they provide actionable guidance for infrastructure upgrades, application deployments, and innovation projects.
Cybersecurity and Risk ManagementThese executives take an active role in identifying hidden dangers to the company’s digital assets. They design incident response and disaster recovery plans while recommending security tools and policies to protect sensitive data. By continuously monitoring and reporting on risk, they reduce exposure to threats like ransomware, data breaches, and compliance violations.
Digital TransformationThis service guides organizations in transforming outdated workflows with automation, cloud tools, or AI-driven solutions. Fractional CIOs manage the transition carefully to minimize disruption and create business value, such as faster processes, reduced errors, and improved customer experiences.
Cloud Computing and Infrastructure OptimizationFractional CIOs design cloud and hybrid architectures and lead migrations while reducing unnecessary spend through rightsizing and automation. They establish governance for provisioning, tagging, and cost controls, and set up monitoring to detect and resolve issues faster. The outcome is lower monthly bills, quicker deployments, and infrastructure that requires less hands-on maintenance.
Data Management and AnalyticsThis enables businesses to uncover patterns and opportunities within their data by setting up systems that track and analyze performance. Fractional CIOs implement dashboards, KPIs, and reporting tools to turn raw information into strategic assets. With this approach, they give leadership clear, data-backed insights that forecast customer trends and enhance operational performance.
Vendor and Team ManagementExperts manage IT vendor relationships, negotiate contracts, and track performance to ensure high-quality services. They also mentor internal and external teams, fostering skill development and alignment with project objectives.
Critical Qualifications for a Fractional CIO
Choosing the right person for this role is vital, since they will be making major decisions for your company. Fractional CIOs operate in a fast-moving environment where they must deliver immediate value. To succeed, they need a combination of deep technical knowledge, business insight, and leadership skills that allow them to assess complex problems and communicate effectively with stakeholders. Look for these key qualifications:
- Deep Leadership Experience: They should have at least 15 to 20 years of experience in the tech world, with a decade spent in high-level leadership roles. This ensures they have faced a wide variety of problems and know exactly how to solve them.
- Strong Educational Background: Most successful fractional CIOs hold a degree in a tech-related field like Computer Science, and many also have a Master’s in Business (MBA).
- Top-Tier Certifications: Fractional CIOs often hold industry-leading credentials, such as CISSP for security or PMP for project management. These certifications demonstrate they’ve been vetted by global authorities and maintain up-to-date expertise.
- Financial and Business Skills: Fractional CIOs manage budgets and advise the CEO, so they must excel at financial planning. Knowledge of financials, market trends, and operational strategies aligns IT decisions with overall company goals.
Why More Companies Are Turning to Fractional CIOs
Companies are increasingly relying on fractional CIOs because they provide expert leadership exactly when it is needed. Growing businesses often face periods of rapid change, such as mergers, expansions, or system overhauls, where having a seasoned technology executive available can make the difference between smooth execution and costly mistakes.
The financial advantages are clear. Hiring a fractional CIO typically costs far less than a full-time C-suite hire, often reducing expenses by 40–60% on salary, benefits, and overhead. This flexible model allows businesses to allocate funds to other priorities, adjust leadership costs as needed, and achieve a higher return on technology investment.
| Metric | Fractional CIO | Full-Time CIO |
| Typical Monthly Cost | $3,000 – $22,000 | $20,000 – $42,000+ |
| Hiring Speed | 2 – 45 days | 6 – 9 months |
| Engagement Model | 10 – 60 hours/month | 40+ hours/week |
| Primary Goal | ROI, Growth & Transformation | Continuity & Team Culture |
New York, NY
1- Curt Meltzer
Curt has spent over 40 years in the legal technology industry after earning his law degree. He primarily advises law firms and legal tech software companies, bringing deep experience in IT strategy and operational leadership.
As a former CIO for multiple AmLaw 200 firms, Curt has led major system migrations, ERP integrations, and modernization initiatives, helping legal organizations streamline operations and strengthen their technology foundations.
Industries: Legal/professional services, publishing, management consulting
Specialties: Technology solutions for Legal Ops, vendor relationship management
Irvine, CA
2- Pouya Nourizadeh
Pouya uses his background in IT, software, and data management to design systems that are resilient and adaptable. He specializes in reducing cloud costs, improving performance, and ensuring compliance with CCSP standards.
As a leader, he guides teams with clear communication so everyone understands goals and priorities. Pouya builds multi-cloud environments that support long-term growth while meeting all regulatory requirements.
Industries: Cloud-native startups, regulated industries, multi-cloud enterprises
Specialties: Architecture & performance tuning, compliance & security, AI innovation
Phoenix, AZ
3- Paul Theisen
Paul Theisen has more than 32 years of IT leadership experience and founded TAG CXO in 2019 to provide fractional executive support to growing companies. His mission is to deliver the right level of technology leadership to organizations that do not need or cannot justify a full-time executive.
His expertise includes IT strategy, digital transformation, cloud adoption, and process automation. Paul has implemented cloud solutions and CISSP and ITIL based cybersecurity frameworks that reduced organizational risk by more than 40 percent.
Industries: Manufacturing, energy, utilities, specialty construction, commercial
Specialties: Digital transformation, IT strategy & roadmap, executive team elevation
Miami, FL
4- Greg Taffet
Greg Taffet serves as a fractional CIO through Taffet Associates and has guided more than 100 organizations through cybersecurity upgrades and cloud transitions. He is the recipient of the 2017 CIO of the Year Apogee Award and the 2012 Universal Access Award in the individual category.
Greg focuses on governance, data protection, and scalable technology solutions. He now works with startups and growth stage companies as a consultant, mentor, and advisor, helping them strengthen their technology foundations and grow with confidence.
Industries: Technology, software, finance, healthcare, manufacturing
Specialties: Systems implementation (ERP/CRM), IT optimization & compliance
St Augustine, FL
5- Joshua D. Whitley
Joshua D. Whitley, founder of FLEXEC Advisory, is a technology executive with deep experience in financial services. He brings expertise in cybersecurity through CISSP and CCSP certifications and in cloud architecture across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. His compliance audits help organizations meet SEC requirements and avoid millions of dollars in potential fines.
Joshua leads large scale programs, supports global teams, and delivers complex technology projects that improve security, modernization, and regulatory readiness.
Industries: Financial services, mortgage, investments, corporate advisory
Specialties: Process optimization, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, regulatory compliance
Chicago, IL
6- Yael Gomez
Yael Gomez provides fractional and interim IT leadership through Yaël Gomez Advisory across the United States and the European Union. He helps startups and Fortune 500 companies achieve meaningful results within the first 90 days of engagement.
His strategic oversight reduced costs by 40 percent and improved product deployment by 25 percent for a fintech startup through the use of cloud technologies and artificial intelligence. Yael has earned the Leadership Excellence Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and measurable accomplishments.
Industries: Pharmacy, global IT integration, product/service leadership
Specialties: AI adoption, M&A due diligence, product delivery optimization
High Point, NC
7- Jeremy Fennema
Jeremy Fennema founded Fennema.io to help companies build reliable and scalable technology systems. At Market America and Bedgear, he created platforms used by millions and enhanced them with artificial intelligence and omnichannel capabilities.
With extensive global IT experience, Jeremy oversees ERP, supply chain, and customer facing systems. He aligns technology with business goals, mentors engineering teams, and fosters strong collaboration to produce long lasting results.
Industries: E-commerce, manufacturing, consumer goods
Specialties: ERP implementation, cloud migration, data-centric strategies, team collaboration
Greater St. Louis, MO
8- Brian DeGroff
Brian DeGroff has served as Head of IT and CIO, where he transformed technology operations for global organizations. He founded PulsePoint Advisors to help companies adopt modern technology, improve operational performance, and strengthen long term IT strategy.
His cloud and infrastructure migration work at Daimler reduced downtime by 40 percent and improved system reliability across North America. Brian also mentors emerging technology leaders through programs such as TechLX and LaunchCode, and he is an active member of IAMCP.
Industries: Manufacturing, consumer goods, food & beverage, chemical, automotive
Specialties: IT strategic planning, cybersecurity, data privacy, business process engineering
Tempe, AZ
9- Robert Bryant
Robert brings extensive global infrastructure and crisis management experience from his work at SOURCE Global and Redapt. Through his company, EchoLeader, he helps teams restore stability, build scalable systems, and align technology with core business objectives.
Certified in ITIL and AWS, Robert applies proven best practices and deep cloud expertise to strengthen operations and create reliable, resilient technology environments.
Industries: Environmental services, scaling enterprises
Specialties: System architecture, stakeholder alignment, post-acquisition integrations
Moorhead, MN
10- Dan Heckaman
Dan Heckaman serves as a fractional CIO and enterprise leader, providing organizations with strategic IT and financial guidance. He founded Mindset Partners in 2023 to apply his decades of experience across technology and finance to help companies improve execution and long term planning.
His work has produced measurable improvements in operations, team performance, and strategic clarity. Client testimonials from Cloverdale Foods and Nexus highlight his strengths as a team leader, a collaborator, and a trusted strategist.
Industries: Custom software development, public sector, private sector databases
Specialties: Project management, financial modeling, asset preservation