COLUMBUS – Polk County IT Director Bruce Yelton was congratulated by county commissioners this week after completing the 2015-2016 Certified Government Chief Information Officers Program (CGCIO) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Government. 

Commissioners met Monday, Aug. 8 and presented Yelton with his certification.

The CGCIO program is the first program for CIOs in the nation and began in 2005.

Yelton is one of only 57 local government, state agency, community college and K-12 leaders in the state who successfully completed the program this year. Over the course’s existence, the program has graduated 1,500 from across the nation.

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said he likes to recognize department heads who go above and beyond. Pittman said the IT program through the Institute of Government is the equivalent to what he received as a certified manager.

Yelton graduated the program in June.

The course is approximately 240 hours in length.

Commissioner chair Michael Gage thanked Yelton for his dedication to the county.