New CIOs at Blockbuster, Innovation Ads and Qtrax

Keith Morrow is back in the CIO role after serving as a leadership consultant. Blockbuster announced yesterday that it had hired Morrow as its new CIO. Before starting his own CIO leadership consultancy, K. Morrow Associates, Morrow worked for 7-Eleven as its CIO and SVP of information systems.

In his new role with Blockbuster, Morrow is working for an old boss from 7-Eleven. Blockbuster Chairman and CEO Jim Keyes served as CEO of the convenience store chain from 2000 until he resigned in November 2005.

Blockbuster also announced yesterday that it had hired another 7-Eleven alum, David Podeschi, as its new SVP of merchandising, distribution and logistics. MarketWatch reported today that BlockBuster COO Nick Shepherd is leaving the Dallas-based DVD rental company at the end of the month.

Exercise equipment manufacturer Nautilus elected Evelyn Follit to its board of directors. Follit, 61, currently runs her own corporate technology and executive assessment practice. She started Follit Associates after retiring from RadioShack in 2005. From 1997 to 2005, Follit served as the retailer’s CIO and chief organizational enabling services officer. In that role she was responsible for IT and for designing the company’s executive compensation, succession planning, executive development, and health and benfits cost containment programs. Nautilus Chairman and CEO Bob Falcone said in a press release that his board is looking to leverage Follit’s IT and human capital management experience.

Follit serves on the boards of Catalina Marketing Corporation and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. She was appointed to the board of retail department store Bealls Inc. and begins her term there in December 2007. Follit holds an MBA in finance and information systems from Pace University.

Jason Scott joined Innovation Ads, which helps colleges and universities generate enrollments, as its new CIO on September 7. Scott most recently worked for Corporate Express as director of electronic customer solutions. In that role, he led the design of the company’s print management suite. Scott will apply his application development experience at Innovation Ads by enhancing the software the company develops and markets to clients so that they can build and manage their own advertising campaigns.

Qtrax, an advertising supported, free peer to peer music service that’s launching later this year, hired an IT executive from the media industry to serve as its CTO. J. Christopher Roe joined Qtrax from advertising firm Interpublic Group’s AFG Interactive. Prior to AFG Interactive, Roe was CIO of NewYorkCity.com. He also previously held IT management positions with Vivendi Universal, AOL, IBM and USA Networks. Roe was once an Outward Bound instructor and a Search and Rescue Wilderness EMT.