From IT to Consultant

CIOs need to pay attention to much more than technology, says Michael Hugos, former CIO of Network Services, a global janitorial and business supplies cooperative.

What's next for the CIO role?

Following recent news that retailer J.C. Penney eliminated the role of CIO, it's fair to ask what the future holds for the three-letter acronym that some say stands for Career Is Over. Here, ex-execs weigh in:

"Borders thought they didn't need a CIO, and you can see how well that went," says marketing consultant Cathy Hotka, referring to the now-defunct retail bookstore chain that went out of business last year after struggling for several years. "They said, 'We are booksellers; why do we need technology?'" says Hotka, principal of Cathy Hotka & Associates.