Mendon Resident Appointed IT Department Chair at RIT’s B. Thomas Golisano College

An associate professor at Rochester Institute of Technology has been promoted to department chair of information technology at the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences—one of the largest comprehensive computing colleges in the nation.

Jim Leone assumed the new role on July 1. Leone joined RIT in 1998 as an associate professor of information technology. He teaches network and system administration, and his research interests include computer and network security and wireless networking.

As chair of an IT department committee seeking avenues for accreditation, he joined other educators from RIT and across the country to create the Committee on Information Technology Curriculum in 2000.

Prior to RIT, Leone enjoyed a 25-year career at Canisius College, where he chaired the computer science department. After leaving Canisius in 1992, he was honored with the establishment of a computer lab in his name.

“Jim has an outstanding track record as both an educator and administrator,” states Jorge Díaz-Herrera, GCCIS dean. “Under his leadership, the opportunities for student development and achievement within our IT department will remain unsurpassed.”

After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, Leone earned an MA degree and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.

Leone is a resident of Mendon, N.Y.