Cirrus Aircraft Chief Information Officer Receives 2022 Twin Cities CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award
September 23, 2022
Cirrus Aircraft’s Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Michelle Roemer, has been recognized as Chief Information Officer of the Year for a Large Corporation by the 2022 Twin Cities ORBIE® Award, the premier technology executive recognition program in the United States.
“We could not be happier for Michelle to be awarded the prestigious CIO of the Year ORBIE Award,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Aircraft. “It is a testament to her skill and capability, which underscores the culture at Cirrus Aircraft and our constant pursuit to push the boundaries of innovation and deliver world-class aviation experiences.”
Selected from over 140 candidates, Michelle has successfully built a team of versatile and high-performing professionals that are passionate about growing Cirrus Aircraft. She spearheaded several IT initiatives to lead the company’s digital approach and improve operations scaling the business. Strategic by nature, Michelle is a key driver in creating and executing the “Cirrus 360” Vision, which digitally connects customers, aircraft, network partners and employees. Additionally, she was instrumental in designing and building the IT infrastructure to support the company’s Cirrus IQ™ mobile application for secure communication between aircraft and Cirrus Aircraft servers. She also developed the proprietary technology platform that hosts the company’s award-winning flight training program, Cirrus Approach™.
“We are extremely proud of Michelle and this great accomplishment,” said George Letten, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cirrus Aircraft. “Her ability to partner with the business, grow and develop talent, and continue to innovate and push boundaries exemplifies the Vision and Values of Cirrus Aircraft. These skills are also critical to supporting Cirrus Aircraft’s six-time recognition as the Best Place to Work in Duluth.”
Since its inception in 1998, over 1,800 CIOs have been honored as finalists and over 500 CIO of the Year winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award.
The ORBIE honors chief information officers and those in equivalent roles who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership. Winners are selected by an independent peer review process, led by prior ORBIE recipients, based upon:
- Leadership and management effectiveness
- Business value created by technology innovation
- The size and scope of responsibilities
- Engagement in industry and community endeavors
Michelle joined Cirrus Aircraft in early 2016 and is responsible for leading the enterprise’s digital strategy. She has over 30 years of business leadership experience in information technology, program management, accounting and finance in both private and public companies. Michelle’s prior experience includes leadership roles at ATK (Alliant Techsystems), Gelco Information Network and Carlson Companies.
Michelle earned her Private Pilot License while working at Cirrus Aircraft and holds a Bachelor of Administration in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, an Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and a Mini-Master’s degree in Information Technology from St. Thomas University.
She serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland and is member of the Minnesota CIO Network.
The award ceremony was held today in Minneapolis.
About Cirrus Aircraft
Cirrus Aircraft is the recognized global leader in personal aviation and the maker of the best-selling SR Series piston aircraft and the Vision Jet®, the world’s first single-engine Personal Jet™, and the recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy. Founded in 1984, the company has redefined aviation performance, comfort and safety with innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) – the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. To date, worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft has passed 14 million hours, and 235 people have returned home safely to their families as a result of the inclusion of CAPS as a standard feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The company has seven locations in the United States, including Benton Harbor, Michigan; Duluth, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Greater Dallas, Texas; Greater Phoenix, Arizona; and Greater Orlando, Florida and Knoxville, Tennessee. Learn more at cirrusaircraft.com.