Fast-food chain hires new CIO

Atlanta-based fast-food chain Arby’s announced yesterday that it hired Don Zimmerman as its new senior vice president and CIO.  Zimmerman most recently worked for Sears as vice president of IT in which capacity he was responsible for the team that designed, developed and implemented all technology solutions for the company.  He also acted as enterprise CIO and held the top IT post for the Sears Credit, Home Services and Customer Care Network units.  Prior to Sears, Zimmerman spent 12 years with Frito-Lay and PepsiCo Foods International.  Zimmerman holds a BBA in Accounting from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri and an MBA in Management from the University of North Texas.

Henry Schein Inc., a distributor of healthcare products and services, expanded its CIO’s responsibilities earlier this week.  In the process, it promoted its CIO, Jim Harding, to CTO.  Where Harding previously partnered with the leadership of Henry Schein’s business group and divisions, as well as its infrastructure teams, to provide technology guidance to all business units worldwide as CIO, he will now as CTO also advise the company’s Practice Management and Technology Services division and its development teams on technology matters. 

Tom Gernon starts his job as CIO of MDS, a life sciences company, on September 12, 2005. Gernon is charged with “rescaling” the Toronto-based company’s information technology department and with reducing the cost and scope of its outsourcing agreements.  His hiring comes amidst a corporate restructuring designed to cut costs and move more aggressively into the global life sciences market. Gernon will replace David Poirier, who has served as president of enterprise services and CIO since January 2004, and who “will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities,” according to a spokesperson from MDS.    Leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.  Well doesn’t that tell us a lot?