The Enterprise System Spectator

Friday, April 21, 2006

Wal-Mart sticks to RFID plans despite CIO switch

Just two weeks after I wrote a long post about Wal-Mart's IT systems under CIO Linda Dillman, Wal-Mart switches CIOs.

Dillman is still with Walmart, however. She is moving to head of risk management and benefits administration. The new CIO, Rollin Ford, comes from a position as head of the retailers supply chain and logistics function.

Dillman was the driving force behind Wal-Mart's push to RFID. For Walmart suppliers hoping that the CIO switch will mean a slow-down in Wal-Mart's RFID program, forget it. According to Line56,

One of the first actions taken by incoming CIO Rollin Ford was to publicly reaffirm Wal-Mart's RFID project. "There will be no slowing down," Ford stated.

It's not that Ford will need much of a learning curve. In his previous position, he was a member of the Wal-Mart RFID executive steering committee for the past three years. long learning curve.

Ford added that Walmart will be retiring the RFID EPC standard Gen 1, replacing it with Gen 2, effective June 30.

Computerworld has more on Wal-Mart's CIO switch and implications for its RFID program.

Related posts
An inside peek at Wal-Mart's IT systems
Wal-Mart launches RFID pilot, but will privacy concerns stall adoption?
Details on Wal-Mart's RFID specifications

by Frank Scavo, 4/21/2006 06:59:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!

 Reader Comments:

Hello -- the article you quoted above refers to the
change as a "lateral move", but CIO -> EVP sounds like
a demotion to me. Do you have any other info as
to why she left the position?

thanks!
wayne

posted by  Anonymous | 9:48 AM, April 22, 2006 | link to this comment

 

My understanding is that Dillman's position as CIO was also an EVP position, so the move was lateral.

By all accounts, Dillman's performance was excellent and she is credited with being the driving force behind Wal-Mart's RFID program.

Finally, I wouldn't consider it to be a demotion to be put in charge of benefits administration and global risk management for an employer with one million employees.

-Frank

posted by  Frank Scavo | 3:43 PM, April 22, 2006 | link to this comment

 

This is common practice at Wal-mart - to rotate executives between senior positions and is in no way a demotion.

posted by  Anonymous | 4:11 PM, May 02, 2006 | link to this comment

 

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