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When you think of the top digital cities in the United States, California’s Silicon Valley inevitably springs to mind. Names like Palo Alto, Cupertino and San Francisco have enjoyed a strong association with the tech industry for decades.
What may not be an obvious pick is Charlotte, North Carolina. For starters, the ‘Queen City’ is on the opposite side of the country; secondly, it’s best known for its sports teams such as the Carolina Panthers (NFL) and the Charlotte Hornets (NBA), as well as its ties to NASCAR. And yet in December 2025, Charlotte landed in the top five of the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey – the only city outside of California to do so.
“We’re building a culture of continuous innovation.”
The number four ranking was only a slight improvement from its number eight spot last year. According to Markell Storay, the city’s Chief Information Officer and Director of Innovation and Technology, the back-to-back placements have cemented Charlotte’s reputation as a city of innovation.
“Technology is the foundation of how we serve our community,” he tells The CEO Magazine. “It shapes how residents access services, how employees deliver results and how government earns public trust.
“Through cloud platforms, AI and modern digital tools, we are building a more responsive and inclusive city, where innovation strengthens accountability and ensures every resident can engage with government easily and equitably.”
Charlotte’s journey into the digital domain requires a guide, however, and that’s where Storay and his team at the Innovation and Technology department come in. They provide direction for Charlotte’s Technology Governance Policy, deliver technology services to various city departments and implement IT initiatives that support, enhance and advance citizen service delivery.
For Storay, a former United States Air Force veteran and seasoned leader in the telecommunications and banking industries, as well as federal government, it’s a dream role.
“We’re building a culture of continuous innovation,” Storay says. “The pace is fast, and that’s what makes it exciting. Where technology once evolved in multi-year cycles, today it advances in real time.
“Our responsibility is to stay of ahead of that curve, anticipating change, adapting quickly and ensuring our organization remains agile, resilient and future ready.”
That urgency is grounded in experience. With a background spanning military service, telecommunications and financial services, Storay brings a disciplined, enterprise-scale perspective to Charlotte’s digital strategy.
Most recently, that approach was reflected in the successful implementation of the City’s enterprise resource planning platform transformation, modernizing finance, human resources, procurement and operations while creating a unified, trusted data environment.
Storay also led the creation and recruitment of Charlotte’s first Chief Data and Analytics Officer, ensuring that information is treated as a strategic asset, not just a technical resource.
“Data is the backbone of modern government,” Storay says. “By elevating analytics to the executive level, we are embedding insight, accountability and performance management into how we operate every day.”
Building on this foundation, the Innovation and Technology team has implemented a deliberate, multi-year road map for emerging technologies, including AI.
“Too often, organizations rush into AI without the right foundation,” Storay notes. “We modernized our core systems, secured our data, strengthened governance and built leadership capacity first. You cannot deliver responsible, high-impact AI without that groundwork.”
While Charlotte has long leveraged technology to strengthen public services, AI represents a new frontier for transformational impact. Rather than viewing it as a short-term trend, the City has adopted a deliberate, multi-year strategy designed to embed intelligence thoughtfully and responsibly across operations. This measured approach allows leaders to balance ambition with strong governance, ensuring innovation delivers lasting public value.
“We don’t want to just create and implement AI for the sake of it,” Storay says. “We’re talking to airports, utilities and public safety organizations about prioritizing use cases, and then next year we’ll start pilot programs.
“We have to make sure we understand AI internally and that our business stakeholders also know how best to use it.”
“By working with partners who share our mission, we are able to extend our impact and deliver measurable results.”
Digital transformation begins with ensuring every resident can participate in the modern economy. For Charlotte, that work starts with expanding reliable, affordable internet access across the community.
“Even today, too many households remain disconnected,” Storay says. “That gap limits opportunity. Through our digital inclusion initiatives, we are closing that divide – connecting hundreds of families and creating pathways to education, employment and essential services.”
This commitment extends beyond connectivity. Through programs such as Learn to Earn, the City is equipping residents with foundational digital skills to strengthen workforce readiness and expand economic mobility in an increasingly technology-driven society.
Beyond closing digital access gaps, Charlotte’s innovation strategy places a strong emphasis on cybersecurity, data protection, and long-term institutional resilience. Under Storay’s leadership, the Innovation and Technology team works closely with universities, industry partners and community organizations to strengthen the City’s digital foundation while safeguarding public trust.
“Transformational change requires trusted partners,” Storay says. “No organization advances alone. Our relationships with leaders such as Accenture, Slalom, Amazon Web Services and Truist allow us to accelerate innovation, test new ideas and deliver value responsibly.
“By working with partners who share our mission, we are able to extend our impact and deliver measurable results for our community.”
“We spend time listening to our community and understanding their priorities.”
This gives Storay and his leadership team the ability to focus on balancing innovation with running day-to-day service delivery. The mix of private sector and public service professionals staff provides diverse perspectives that strengthen communication, accelerate adoption and ensure technology investments remain practical and mission-driven.
“We spend time listening to our community and understanding their priorities,” Storay says. “We take that insight, combine it with data and turn it into meaningful, measurable improvements in how we serve.”
That community-centered approach has earned recognition beyond Charlotte. In late 2025, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein issued an Executive Order advancing AI governance, safety and public sector innovation, including the formation of a statewide AI Leadership Council on which Storay serves.
Combined with the work of the Innovation and Technology department and its partners, this milestone reinforces the City’s standing as a national leader in digital government and civic innovation.
“I’m excited to be part of this journey,” he says. “It’s about applying what I’ve learned to strengthen not only Charlotte, but communities across North Carolina.”
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