Cabot Howell, Chief Information Officer
Cabot Howell joined Reinhardt as Chief Information Officer (CIO) in January, with much gratitude for the opportunity to serve the University. He and his wife, Melissa, have five (almost grown) children. He was born in Atlanta and has lived in Georgia all his life.
As the CIO, Howell is responsible for all things related to Reinhardt’s technology. “I oversee cyber security, the deployment of all equipment, vendor management, and I ensure the proper contracted services of technology vendors,” says Howell. And here’s a twist you may not be aware of – “Vendors include myself. We (IT) are outsourced from OculusIT. I am the client advocate. My job is to make sure OculusIT adheres to Reinhardt standards. If there is a conflict, I am on the Reinhardt side, holding OculusIT accountable.”
Howell brings over 25 years of IT experience as a consultant, technician, team leader and a multi-sport coach whose interests are varied and many. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played rugby, and Clayton State University with majors in electrical engineering, health physics, computer science, and avionics.
Between attending the two higher education institutions, Howell obtained his first-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and was a senior martial arts Instructor. He also began his coaching career in men’s flag football, high school and youth basketball, youth soccer and baseball.
Howell gained experience during the evolution of technology from pre-Windows pc systems to the modern-day Windows 11 and Mac worlds. While deploying Windows Servers and managing the changes in Internet media, from AOL dial-up to current fiber optics, he helped companies navigate the understanding and acceptance of this ever-changing landscape.
His interests include, but are not limited to, cycling, both road and mountain bike, gardening, hunting, camping, and taking care of all the animals that control he and his wife – 3 dogs, 4 cats, 8 laying hens and ‘the piggy we stole from the shed’, (cue the music from the John Denver song, Grandma’s Feather Bed).
Howell says he’s enjoyed being at Reinhardt and looks forward to experiencing more of what Reinhardt has to offer. “Everyone has been so welcoming. I’m looking forward to the spring, exploring the campus, and taking my bicycle out on the mountain trails. I’ve even been able to attend some of the athletic events, and there’s so much more I plan to do. I’m just excited about all of it!”
