Government Market News StaffProfiles in Power highlights public officials nationwide who are improving their communities through their dedication, enthusiasm, creativity, and experience.
This week’s profile is Shawn Delahanty, director of innovation and technology’s enterprise services and software in South Bend, Indiana.
Public career highlights and education: I attended St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana and immediately began my career in public service after graduating. I was hired as a low-level help desk technician on an IT team of five people. I progressed through several positions as the IT Department grew and evolved. Today, the Innovation & Technology Department with the city of South Bend consists of over 50 team members and helps to make a name for South Bend through innovative projects and partnerships. I lead a hard-working and dedicated team as the director of enterprise services and software.
What I like best about my public service is: The ability to make a measurable impact on the community that you live in is very exciting to me. Whether leveraging technology to promote transparency or using data-driven decision making while prioritizing projects, we find ways to make the city a better place for everyone.
The best advice I’ve received: It seems simple, but the best advice I ever received was “Listen.” Listen to your customer, listen to your partners, listen to your stakeholders. People don’t always communicate in consistent ways, so give yourself the time and grace to listen and understand before proceeding. That also directly correlates to South Bend I&T’s mantra: “Listen First, Build With.”
One thing I wish more people knew about my division of public service: Working in local government, being good stewards of taxpayer money is always in mind— we often come up with clever ideas to do more with little. We are always looking for opportunities for strategic partnerships, economies of scale, or grant funding to help further our mission.
A project or initiative we’re currently working on is: My team recently assisted with the implementation of a new Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) program for the Public Works divisions of the city. Enhanced tracking, reporting, proactive maintenance alerts, and safety features will benefit the workforce and help to improve service to our citizens. Phase 2 will be expanding to add a public-facing “Snow Plow Tracking” feature using our GIS mapping.
People might be interested to know that: After college, I continued my public service volunteer passion and served as a member of the Family Selection Committee for Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County for over 10 years. Also, I love boating, and we spent most summer weekends on our boat on Lake Michigan.
