IT Integration

Talking Rain announces the addition of John Peirano as Chief Marketing Officer who joins recent hire Marcus Smith as Chief Financial Officer, and recently promoted Michael Lowes as Chief Operating Officer.

The new candidate comes most recently from J. Crew and Saks Incorporated, and will focus on Avon's turnaround including driving sustainable and profitable growth.

Flowers Foods announced two executive transitions in the company's manufacturing leadership, effective immediately: Michael Beaty will retire in spring of 2015 and will serve as EVP until then. Robert Benton, Jr. will serve as SVP and chief manufacturing officer.

Today, business is being transformed by leveraging big data. It is much more than just analytics. There is a multitude of competitive advantages for leveraging big data, which includes your internal data, syndicated, social media and demographic/psychographic data. Let us start with a definition of big data.

Now in its 15th year, CGT's readers voted for their top solution and service providers in 13 areas of investment opportunity. These short lists, and accompanying commentary from experts and analysts, can help guide decision makers in their quests to find innovative technology and service providers that deliver a competitive edge in the game for consumer loyalty.

CGT's readers rank the top technology providers of an enterprise software suite specific to customer relationship management (CRM), including marketing, sales force automation, category management, etc.

CGT's readers rank the top technology providers of solutions for product management, including new product development, formulation, packaging, introduction and launch.

CGT's readers rank the top third-party providers of strategic and tactical consulting services.