From improving customer service and strengthening cybersecurity to setting national standards for responsible artificial intelligence, the city of Scottsdale’s Information Technology team delivered a year of innovation, leadership and measurable results in 2025.

The city earned top honors from leading technology organizations across the country and around the world, reinforcing Scottsdale’s reputation as a national model for how technology can improve public service while protecting transparency, privacy and trust.

In November, Scottsdale was named the No. 1 Digital City in the United States by the Center for Digital Government for the third consecutive year. The designation recognizes cities that use technology to enhance service delivery, strengthen data practices and safeguard digital infrastructure. Judges cited Scottsdale’s AI governance framework, modernized citizen contact systems and enterprise data strategy as standout achievements.

Technology plays a critical role in how we serve our residents every day, City Manager Greg Caton said. Our IT team doesn’t pursue innovation for its own sake, but rather they focus on solutions that improve access, strengthen accountability and make city services easier and more responsive for the community.

One of Scottsdale’s celebrated innovations in 2025 was its Short-Term Rental (STR) Map Tool, a public-facing platform that uses geospatial data to support transparency, compliance and neighborhood awareness. The tool earned national recognition throughout the year, including a CIO 100 Award, finalist honors from Gartner’s Eye on Innovation Awards, and praise for its ability to integrate multiple data sources into a clear, user-friendly experience for residents, businesses and staff.

Scottsdale also received national recognition for its leadership in responsible AI, earning the 2025 Golden GOVIT Award from the Public Technology Institute. The award highlighted the city’s AI Governance Council, employee training resources and structured review process — a framework now widely viewed as a best practice for municipal governments navigating emerging technologies.

Our approach has always been people first, said Bianca Lochner, Scottsdale’s chief information officer. Technology should make government more transparent, more secure and easier to navigate. Every system we build is grounded in public trust, ethical use and real-world impact for residents and employees.

Lochner’s leadership drew significant recognition in 2025. She received the Arizona ORBIE Award for Large Enterprise CIO, was named a Global Top 50 Technology Leader by OnCon Icon and was included in StateTech Magazine’s ‘25 Worth Following in 2025’ list. In May, she represented Scottsdale internationally as the keynote speaker at South Australia’s Leading Edge: AI for Local Government Innovators summit.

In addition to executive leadership, Scottsdale’s technical experts also earned individual honors. Mele Koneya, a GIS analyst with the city, was recognized by Esri, the world’s leading geospatial organization, and featured in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Architecture’s Alumni Spotlight. His work supports public safety, planning, smart city initiatives and enterprise performance management through advanced mapping and spatial analytics.

The IT department itself was named a Global Top 50 Technology Team by OnCon Icon, recognizing the group’s collective impact, innovation and leadership.

These awards, by third parties, show that outside agencies see the great work that our dedicated IT team are producing, Caton said. They show what’s possible when our staff members are empowered to innovate and focus on delivering value to the community.

As Scottsdale continues to find effective ways to deliver services, city leaders say technology will remain a key tool for providing efficient, secure and accessible services.