Darrance Tezino

I lead the 52-person Technology Services organization at CenterPoint Energy, where I am accountable for the digital workplace that keeps a multi-state utility connected. My scope spans endpoint management across Windows, Intune, VDI, and endpoint security; Microsoft 365 and collaboration platforms; mobility and telephony; AV and executive spaces; field support; and enterprise asset management. I also carry financial oversight for hardware, licensing, carriers, vendors, and print, so every modernization decision is made with cost discipline built in.

In 2026 I set out to prove that cyber resilience, IT modernization, and cost optimization reinforce each other. Partnering with Cybersecurity, my team lifted endpoint compliance above 95% and met patch SLAs across the fleet, measurably reducing vulnerability exposure. We advanced modernization through Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption and zero-touch Autopilot provisioning, turning device deployment into a repeatable, hands-off process.

On the financial side, we delivered O&M savings through vendor governance, telecom rationalization, and license right-sizing, while the Ricoh RFP award moved enterprise print to an outcome-based managed service. Operational resiliency stayed front and center: 95%+ satisfaction across executive and field support, and validated Emergency Operations Center readiness ahead of storm season. I also led the identification of AIOps use cases, putting AI to work on incident prevention, automation, and service insight.

None of this happens without the 14 leaders and the teams behind them. My job is to give them clear standards, shared ownership, and executive air cover. I have invested in cross-functional influence across Technology, Cybersecurity, Finance, Infrastructure, and Business operations, and in sharpening my own financial acumen so that forecasts are accurate and every dollar is defensible. The result is an organization that closes tickets, ships upgrades, and stands ready when the grid is under pressure.

I believe the next decade of enterprise technology leadership belongs to teams that pair AI-driven operations with disciplined governance. My focus is a resilient, zero-touch endpoint environment, a scalable managed-services model, and a Copilot strategy that helps people do their best work. Whether the conversation is about a larger enterprise role, a board or advisory seat, or a keynote on cyber resilience and the modern workplace, I bring twenty years of delivery and a builder’s instinct for turning complexity into systems that last.