Chris Howe
Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer
Chris Howe joined A. O. Smith as chief digital information officer (CDIO) in October 2025.
In this role, he is responsible for all traditional CIO responsibilities while emphasizing the development of new digital strategies to support the business. As CDIO, Chris leads organization-wide digital transformation initiatives, drive digital innovation and emerging technology adoption, and implements advanced data analytics and AI capabilities, while fostering digital culture and organizational change.
Chris was most recently the chief executive officer and co-founder of Rise and Shift, a boutique cloud transformation and Generative AI consulting firm. Chris and his team were at the forefront of GenAI solutions, commercializing a new widget-based GenAI platform to reduce compliance burden and time-to-market in regulated industries and partnering with clients to deliver Agentic AI transformation solutions. Through strong collaboration with Amazon Web Services and global technology partners, he and his team delivered on numerous cloud transformation initiatives with targeted clients across the globe, including a cloud-native digital manufacturing solution for a global food company.
Before that, he worked at 3M for 25 years, most recently as senior vice president of business transformation, vice president of global IT applications and director of global supply chain IT applications.
Chris is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, serving in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as Operation “Sea Angel,” bringing critical humanitarian aid to Bangladesh following a devastating cyclone that struck the southeastern coast of the country.
Chris earned a Bachelor of Art in economics and political science from Gustavus Aldophus College and a Master of Science in management of technology from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.