Email | Print    Type Size  -  +  Tech execs get sexy  In tough
times, the chief information officer becomes a strategic and
financial asset.  By Jon Fortt, senior writer February 12, 2009:
4:46 AM ET  (Fortune) -- There was a time when the geeks who
keep a company's tech systems running could get by without
knowing the finer details of corporate strategy. You called the
chief information officer when you needed a server upgrade, not
a strategic plan.  Well, those days are over.  This downturn
could mean the end of the sequestered CIO -- that rumpled
executive who, like Scotty on Star Trek, has limited social
skills and usually emerges from the engine room only when
something blows up. In these tough times, CEOs are frequently
calling tech chiefs out of the wiring closet and into the
boardroom, and putting their business skills to the test.  Why?
Budget cuts, for starters. The IT department has to tighten its
belt while at the same time helping other divisions use
technology to slash costs. Some typical quest