Varsity Brands announced that 25-year technology veteran Edwina Payne has joined the company as chief information officer, effective immediately. In this capacity, Payne will report to CEO Adam Blumenfeld and assume direct responsibility for Varsity Brands’ technology transformation, including working with key senior leadership to define strategic investments and digital transformation opportunities.
Varsity Brands is the parent company to BSN Sports, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones.
Most recently, Payne served as a senior vice president for Technology Strategy at McKesson Corporation, where she led a 60-person global IT strategy and portfolio management team.
Blumenfeld said, “For our school customers across the country, the past 15 months have brought profound obstacles and major disruptions. Throughout, we have met students ‘where they are’ through a seamless pivot to virtual experiences, online camps and clinics, and digital connection points that have kept students engaged and inspired. Edwina’s addition reflects our belief that even as the world resumes normalcy, technology’s central role in everything we do will only accelerate and truly define and differentiate Varsity Brands for years to come. She is a dynamic, engaged and relentless leader, and we eagerly anticipate her insight and contributions.”
Prior to her tenure at McKesson, Payne served as SVP and chief information officer for Avanos Medical, where she served as a member of its Executive Leadership team, transforming its IT division while driving a $13M budget reduction and delivering Avanos’ first digital product in pain management. Earlier, she held a similar role at Zimmer Biomet, leading the global technology function and IT integration of the Biomet acquisition. She started her career with Kellogg’s and then Johnson and Johnson, where she served as worldwide VP, program management for the Medical Devices and Diagnostics sector. Payne serves on the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.
Photo courtesy Varsity Brands
