Idaho Found is proud to welcome Brent Stacey, a founder of Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON)—an organization he often describes as one of Idaho’s best‑kept secrets. In this conversation, Brent explores the transformative role IRON plays across the state, from strengthening community infrastructure to expanding high‑speed connectivity in the places that need it most. By tackling the “last mile” challenge, IRON is laying the groundwork for something bigger: the potential for Idaho to rise as the next tech hub in the Intermountain West.
Biography:
Brent Stacey is the founder and currently the Past Chair of the Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON) Board of Directors. IRON is a not-for-profit company whose charter is to advance science, research, education, health care, and the nonprofit community through access to very high-speed and dedicated digital networks. IRON was founded in 2007 with the mission to connect Idaho’s higher education institutions to Idaho National Laboratory’s assets and researchers, enabling Idaho students to be successful in a competitive market for jobs that address our nation’s greatest challenges, working right here in Idaho. Today, IRON supports Idaho’s entire nonprofit community as well as higher education with reliable, high speed, and affordable networking solutions.
Brent retired as Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Associate Laboratory Director responsible for the National and Homeland Security (N&HS) mission. N&HS is a major center for national security technology, nuclear nonproliferation, critical infrastructure protection, defense systems, heavy armor manufacturing, wireless testbeds, and explosive ranges. Solutions were provided to the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the intelligence community. Previously, Brent served as INL’s Chief Information Officer, leading information management, classified and unclassified cybersecurity, and INL’s integrated supercomputing capability. Brent also served as INL’s Director of Technology Deployment, transforming INL’s technology deployment and commercialization. Prior to joining the INL, Brent served as CIO for Argonne National Laboratory.
Brent has over 40 years of experience in leadership, innovative technology strategy, and risk-based cybersecurity solutions for both information technology and operational technology in a variety of markets. He has served as CEO, president, vice-president, and CIO for small- to mid-sized companies.
Brent was recognized as Idaho's Information Technology Executive of the Year in 2002 for his leadership. He co-founded SRV.net, among the earliest Internet service providers in the Pacific Northwest, was inducted into the CIO Hall of Fame by CIO magazine in 2010, and received recognition as a Premier 100 IT Leader by Computerworld in 2012.
