ATLANTA — Vestis Corp., a provider of uniforms and workplace supplies headquartered here, reports it has appointed Rod Wedemeier executive vice president, chief human resources officer (CHRO), and Wendy Zacchio senior vice president, chief information officer (CIO) and chief digital officer.
The company says Wedemeier is an accomplished HR executive with over 25 years of experience leading HR strategy, organizational transformation and talent development at Fortune 500 companies.
He has a proven track record of aligning people, culture, and business priorities to drive performance, and has guided organizations through large-scale change, periods of growth, and complex restructurings.
As CHRO, Wedemeier will oversee talent management and acquisition; organizational development and culture; learning and development; HR strategy and operations; total rewards; labor relations; and communication.
Zacchio is a strategic technology executive with more than 25 years of experience. She has led global IT (information technology) strategy, digital transformation, and large-scale modernization across the financial services, healthcare, and insurance industries.
In her new role as CIO and chief digital officer, she will oversee AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities and digital enablement; enterprise platforms and infrastructure; data and analytics; cybersecurity; and field technology.
“I’m pleased to welcome Rod and Wendy to Vestis as we continue to take steps to strengthen our foundation and optimize the enterprise,” says President and CEO Jim Barber.
“Rod is an accomplished HR leader with the experience and insight to help Vestis become an employer of choice through best-in-class recruiting and training. Wendy brings deep technological expertise and vision as we accelerate our digital and IT strategy and modernize our platforms.
“I look forward to partnering with both to strengthen our business, empower our teammates, and deliver the level of service our customers expect from Vestis.”
Wedemeier comes to Vestis from Mohawk Industries, a global flooring company with 45,000 employees and revenue of approximately $11 billion, where he most recently served as senior vice president, human resources, and CHRO.
In his role, he drove executive succession planning, implemented enterprise-wide leadership development programs, oversaw compensation strategy, and built new training programs to support large-scale hiring and productivity initiatives. He also successfully led efforts to streamline global people systems and guided the organization through major structural and cultural transformation.
Wedemeier holds a bachelor of business administration degree in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Iowa.
“It’s an honor to join Vestis at such a pivotal moment, and I look forward to helping build a culture of excellence that allows our teammates to deliver results,” he says.
Zacchio most recently served as enterprise CIO at Zelis, where she was accountable for enterprise platforms, cybersecurity, and global technology needs. Previous to that, she was CIO of International Markets at Cigna, overseeing technology across more than 30 countries. She’s also held senior leadership roles at AIG and The Hartford.
Zacchio has a master of science degree in engineering management and a bachelor of science degree from Southern Methodist University.
“I look forward to accelerating digital transformation and building innovative solutions that empower Vestis’s teammates and customers in this role,” says Zacchio.
In other personnel news, Vestis says that Grant Shih, executive vice president and chief technology officer, has departed the company to pursue other opportunities.
“I want to thank Grant for his leadership over the last few years and his efforts to establish our technology function,” Barber says. “We wish him the best in his next chapter.”
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
