Orgill Expands Executive Team with New Chief Digital and Information Officer
Orgill has named Sharmeelee “Sharms” Bala as the company’s new chief digital and information officer. Bala, who begins Dec. 1, brings more than two decades of experience from major retail organizations such as JCPenney, Gap Inc., and Walmart.
Boyden Moore, Orgill president and CEO, said Bala’s background aligns directly with the challenges and opportunities facing independent retailers.
“We have always believed that to serve retailers, you need to understand the real-world challenges they face,” Moore said. “Sharms’ extensive retail background, her subject-matter expertise and her leadership style align perfectly with Orgill’s vision for a more digitally empowered future—for our company and for the thousands of independent retailers we serve.”
Bala most recently served as CIO and head of product management for JCPenney (Catalyst Brands), where she oversaw a digital transformation effort that drove incremental sales growth, modernized in-store technology and improved operational efficiency. Her earlier roles at Gap Inc. and Walmart included responsibilities across global engineering, merchandising systems, enterprise data platforms, logistics and master data management.
In her new role, Bala will lead Orgill’s internal technology organization, which was recently restructured to better support the company’s supply chain, dealer services and digital initiatives. Her first areas of focus will include mainframe development and operations, enterprise software development and architecture, enterprise applications and project management, along with continued modernization of Orgill’s technology infrastructure. She will also guide broader digital efforts related to customer- and dealer-facing tools, data analytics, and supply chain visibility.
“Both the distribution and retail industries are undergoing rapid digital disruption,” Bala said. “I’m excited to join a company that is investing in innovation where it makes sense, harnessing technology to better serve its customers and helping those customers use technology to enhance their own operations.”
Moore says Bala’s experience strengthens the company’s ability to support retailers navigating technology change. “Her accomplishments in areas like AI-driven innovation, supply chain modernization and enterprise transformation will put us in a much stronger position to accelerate the next chapter of growth for Orgill and our customers,” Moore said.
Orgill executive vice president and COO Clay Jackson says the hire signals the company’s continued emphasis on technology leadership. “As CDIO, Sharms will play a central role in helping Orgill’s continued evolution amidst industry transformation—from enhanced digital expectations to the need for predictive, efficient merchandise, supply chain, and retail operations,” Jackson said.
