Rethinking tech solutions strategy
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Darla Morse, chief information officer, Inspire Brands Inc.
Known for: Darla Morse was named chief information officer of Inspire Brands Inc. after the company was formed following the acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings in February 2018. Prior to that position, Morse was named the first CIO of Arby’s in 2016. Along with the Inspire IT team, she is leading the Inspire Brands portfolio — which includes Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rusty Taco and now Sonic — into a technology-driven future.
Power move: As Inspire Brands continues to expand, with 8,300 restaurants and counting, Morse has been updating outdated technologies across the brands. With a $20 million investment, she and the IT team rolled out a new POS system at Arby’s, which completely overhauled the front of the house and back of the house systems, paving the way for smoother integration of mobile apps, mobile pay and e-commerce. The new POS will provide the Inspire team with data to directly analyze and respond to customer experiences. Inspire Brands just unveiled a technology-forward Buffalo Wild Wings store redesign. Based on the success of the Arby’s IT makeover, Morse and her team will be assessing the current IT structure at Buffalo Wild Wings and developing a brand-wide systems standard for the restaurants.
What’s next: Morse will lead the IT team in scaling their findings from the Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings information technology revitalizations across the entire company.
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