When undergoing a massive digital transformation initiative, retailers expect employee churn and other unexpected obstacles. They do not, however, plan for a pandemic.

Adam Fox, Vera Bradley Inc, chief information officer and an RIS News CIO of the Year, had plenty of challenges to face since the project launched, but Vera Bradley ultimately brought the project home on time and on budget, while simultaneously adding tech capabilities to deal with current events.

A CIO of the Year Award, bestowed upon the retail industry’s most influential technologists, is being given to Fox in honor of his 21 years at Vera Bradley and recent work spearheading the retailer’s digital transformation, as well as quickly implementing appointment-based selling during the disruption of the pandemic.