New Board Member to Enhance Intersect’s Business Attraction Mission
CHICAGO, IL – Intersect Illinois today announced the appointment of SDI Presence, LLC CEO Hardik Bhatt to its board of directors. With a record of driving digital transformation in both the public and private sectors, Bhatt will help support Intersect’s core mission of bringing jobs and investments to Illinois.
“Intersect Illinois relies on its diverse and enterprising board of directors for their expertise and insight, and welcomes Hardik Bhatt’s understanding of emerging technologies to help shape bold strategies for growing the economy,” said Intersect Chairman John Atkinson. “The state is sure to benefit from his eye toward innovation, background in government, and experience in early-stage venture capital.”
“From AI to cybersecurity, information technology is critical to our state’s economic health, driving innovation and employing thousands,” said Intersect Illinois President and CEO Christy George. “Hardik’s deep knowledge, passion, and connections within this transformative industry will be an asset to our organization, and I look forward to learning from him.”
Before becoming CEO of SDI Presence, a leading IT services firm specializing in managing critical infrastructure and systems, Bhatt led Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) public sector startup business and was a senior director for Cisco’s Smart Cities, which integrates digital technology in municipal planning. In the public sector, Bhatt helmed the $1 billion technology budget for Illinois’ Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) under former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and previously served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the City of Chicago in the Daley Administration.
Bhatt holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Computer Science) from India.
“Illinois sits at the heart of the nation—strategically positioned with world-class infrastructure across air, water, rail, and road. But it’s our unmatched talent, corporate leadership, and civic partnerships that truly set us apart,” Bhatt said. “I’m honored to join the Intersect Illinois Board to help accelerate economic opportunity across our state. From advancing tech workforce initiatives like Xchange Chicago to supporting the region’s leadership in quantum and innovation, I’m deeply committed to seeing Illinois thrive.”
Intersect Illinois’ Board of Directors helps guide the organization in its efforts to attract economic opportunity to the state, and they are appointed to represent a diversity of industries, geographies, and backgrounds. Approved by a board vote, the non-partisan group of academic, civic, and private-sector leaders leverages their collective expertise to help tell the “Why Illinois” story to encourage companies to establish a presence or expand in Illinois.
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