Dive Brief:
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Rite Aid Corp. Monday said it has hired Steve Rempel as CIO, reporting to CAO Frank Vitrano.
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Rempel will manage the retail chain’s IT operations, including its network, telecommunications, and data security.
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Rempel most recently was CEO, president, and CIO of retail cash-management software company Balance Innovations, and before that worked in IT at Safeway for 35 years.
Dive Insight:
Rite Aid, like most if not all major U.S. drugstore retailers, is moving swiftly to take advantage of an emerging new health care environment sparked by the Affordable Care Act. The chain is increasingly offering more clinic-like health care and wellness services in addition to its boosting its pharmacy services.
In addition to the increasing need for sophisticated data management and security that all retailers face, those in health care have even more layers, including, say, mandated protection for consumer health data. Rempel appears to have the level of experience needed by the drugstore chain.