Cole Housley
Information Security Executive | CISO | AI and Cloud First Leader | CISSP, CISM | Driving Global Information Security, Risk Management & Digital Innovation.
- Role
- Chief Information Security Officer at River City Bank
- Location
- Phoenix, AZ, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Cole Housley
I am an executive cybersecurity leader with deep experience building, scaling, transforming, and operating security programs for highly regulated financial services and enterprise organizations. I have a proven track record of designing cloud-native, hybrid, and emerging (AI) information security operating models, leading large global teams, optimizing multi-million-dollar budgets, and delivering strong regulatory outcomes. I am also a trusted advisor to executive leadership and Boards, recognized for aligning cybersecurity, risk management, and technology strategy with business growth, digital transformation, and risk reduction. I am known for translating complex technical and regulatory challenges into clear, actionable insights and for building high-performing, accountable teams.Signature Leadership Contributions - Information security scaling and transformation: Built and scaled a comprehensive cybersecurity organization from the ground up, enabling revenue growth to 3.2B in 18 months with a 38-member global team for a cloud-native digital bank- Cost optimization: Orchestrated information security delivery optimization that reduced operating costs by 66%, resulting in $12M in total savings over a three-year period- Regulatory and compliance Excellence: Led the effort to achieve first-time SOC 2 Type II certification for the bank and maintained sustained compliance within rigorous FDIC, FRB, and GLBA regulatory environments- AI Security and Innovation: Developed and implemented AI security controls that protected sensitive data while facilitating the implementation of AI technology that increased fraud operations throughput by 24%.
Experience
Chief Information Security Officer
Apr 2026 — Present · Sacramento, CA, US
In this role, I serve as the primary owner for the bank’s security roadmap, ensuring that our technical defenses are as sophisticated as the financial products offered to businesses.• Spearheaded the development of a security culture within River City Bank, enhancing team collaboration and communication. • Implemented advanced AI technologies to improve efficiency in business and security operations and threat detection. • Led initiatives to secure cloud migrations and optimize identity governance, reinforcing institutional integrity.
Education
Utah State University
Bachelor of Science, Business Information Systems
Grand Canyon University
Master of Science - MS, Information Technology Management
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