Growing up in blue-collar Fort Wayne, Ind., Linda Dillman once contemplated a career as a beautician. But she chose a different path. Now she's perhaps the most powerful CIO in the world, leading the business-technology efforts of the most successful and widely recognized retailer on the planet.
Dillman, 48, became executive VP and CIO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. last year, though she'd been at the helm of the Information Systems Division as senior VP since August 2002. This year, Dillman will oversee 2,500 business-technology projects that come with high expectations. Topping the buzz list is Wal-Mart's much-talked-about radio-frequency identification initiative, but Dillman will tell you that isn't even the most expensive IT project going on at the company, not "by a long shot." Other high-priority projects include revamping supply-chain processes, synchronizing product data with suppliers using the UCCnet standard, improving E-commerce platforms, and developing talent and fostering regulatory compliance in stores across the globe.
