Fall Brings More Hiring

Now that the dog days of summer are behind us, the IT executive market is picking up steam.  We are seeing CIO changes across a wide range of industries, and newly placed CIOs are bringing in new talent as well.  At Heller Search, we are so busy that I really have no business even writing this blog, so I’m going to keep it short, and get on with the news!

Amy Porwoll has been selected as CentraCare Health System’s CIO succeeding Charles Dooley, who retired in July after a 31-year career with St. Cloud Hospital/CentraCare Health System.  The CIO leads the health system’s Information Services division, which employs about 350 people. Porwoll has been CentraCare’s interim CIO since July. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor’s degree in business computer information Systems. She is a member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and an executive member of the Minnesota Epic Users Group. Porwoll worked for IBM in Rochester for six years before joining St. Cloud Hospital in October 1994.

Dan Simpson, joined Trustmark Companies as Senior Vice President and CIO. The announcement was made by Joseph L. Pray, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Lake Forest, Ill.-based insurer, benefits administrator and health management services provider.  Previous to Trustmark, Simpson served as Senior Vice President and CIO  for Physicians Mutual Insurance Co. in Omaha, Nebraska. For the past 10 years, he was responsible for all aspects of that company’s information technology, including strategy, architecture and design. Prior to Physicians Mutual, he spent 12 years at Sterling Software in positions of increasing responsibility, departing in 2000 as Vice President, Finance and Operations.

Zale Corporation announced that Brad Furry has been named Senior Vice President, CIO.  Furry will have responsibility for all information technology strategy and operations functions throughout the company. Furry will report to Matt Appel, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Hot Topic, Inc. has named Don Hendricks CIO.  Hendricks will lead all information technology for Hot Topic.  Prior to joining Hot Topic, Hendricks was the CIO at Gymboree Corporation where he led many successful major systems implementations.

Kevin Quinlivan is in the newly created position of CIO of Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service. Quinlivan has responsibility for information systems, infrastructure services, information technology (IT) project and relationship management, operations support and information security and oversees Delaware North’s IT Department.  He came to Delaware North with global IT experience from companies such as Digital Equipment Corporation, Quantum Corporation, Schick Wilkinson Sword, where he served as Vice President/CIO, and Norwegian Cruise Line, where he was Senior Vice President and CIO.

Monster Worldwide, Inc. announced that Mark Conway, the Company’s Senior Vice President of Technologies, has been named CIO of the Company.  Monster is headquartered in Maynard, MA.   Conway succeeds Darko Dejanovic, who recently left the Company.

Eric Dorne as joined United Natural Foods (UNFI) as Senior Vice President and CIO. UNFI is an independent national distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods and related products including nutritional supplements, personal care items and organic produce, in the United States UNFI is headquartered in Providence, RI.  Dorne was previously CIO at A&P.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. announced that Ben Allen, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, will assume the additional role of CIO, effective immediately.  In his new role, Allen will oversee Marsh & McLennan Companies’ global technology infrastructure group and report to Dan Glaser, Group President and Chief Operating Officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies.

Fallon Community Health Plan, a health care services organization based in Boston, announced the appointment of David M. Jachimiak to CIO. In this role, Jachimiak will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of FCHP’s Information Technology operations. Before joining FCHP, Jachimiak was the Vice President of Information Systems at LifeNet Health, a life sciences organization located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Prior to that, he was CIO at First Boston Pharma, in Gloucester. Jachimiak also served as Senior Vice President of Information Systems at Allmerica Financial, in Worcester, Mass.

That’s it for the September edition of Movers & Shakers.  Please continue to let me know about CIO job changes, promotions and retirements, and I will faithfully report them all!

Thanks for listening,