Our editor-in-chief and managing director explore the meaning of ‘O’ in HRO.
 
By The Editors

 The publishers of Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO), HRO Today, HRO Europe and FAO Today Magazines today announced that Dirk Olin, former National Editor of The American Lawyer, Editor of California Lawyer, and New York Times columnist, is now Vice President and Editorial Director. In this capacity, Olin will lead the company's print and online content efforts.
 

Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. today announced the promotion of Tom Blodgett to chief operating officer of all commercial operations. Tom Burlin, will serve as chief operating officer for all government operations, with a focus on the company's expanding public sector business. Together, Blodgett and Burlin will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of ACS.
 

The ING Group has reached an agreement to acquire CitiStreet LLC, one of the largest retirement plan and benefit service and administration organizations in the domestic defined contribution (DC) marketplace, for $900 million. The deal will be financed entirely from existing internal resources.

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), the third largest financial services group in Europe, has signed a new five-year, multi-million-pound deal with Ceridian for one of the biggest multinational Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Under the terms of the new contract, Ceridian’s LifeWorks division will provide EAP and health and wellness services to 140,000 RBS employees in more than 20 countries around the world. The new deal follows an in-depth competitive review and extends the existing seven-year relationship with Ceridian.

Enterprise HRO provider and payroll specialist Ceridian has launched in the U.K. a new service called HRevolution, which is a web-based, on-demand flexible HR system aimed at the mid-market clients. It claims that the new platform offers all the transformational functionality of an ERP through a subscription that requires no user license fees.

The HROA has issued its final criteria for the 2008 HROA Awards. Nominees and award winners will be honored at the Fourth Annual HROA Awards Gala in New York on April 16, 2008 at the New York Hilton & Towers in conjunction with HRO World New York.  
 

Fidelity Investments said it has won an expansion of its relationship with The Hartford Financial Services Group to include HR administrative services, payroll, workforce, and talent management functions. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

U.K.-based retail chain Somerfield has awarded payroll specialist Ceridian a seven-year HRO deal.
 
Under the terms of the contract, Ceridian will provide HR services covering about 17 processes, including payroll and people information services, for 44,000 employees in 900 stores across the U.K. As part of the agreement, about 41 employees of Somerfield are likely to be transferred to Ceridian.

Enterprise HRO provider Hewitt Associates has expanded its operations in Italy with the acquisition of Adelaide Consulting. It now offers a broader range of HR consulting and actuarial services in the Italian market.

In addition to the extended services, Hewitt has opened a new office in Rome, which will be managed by Claudio Pinna, who becomes Hewitt's new leader in Italy following the retirement of Guido Blasco.