Women's apparel chain Coldwater Creek Inc. said it has promoted Jim Bell to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Bell will oversee the Sandpoint-based retailer's information technology systems, real estate, distribution and logistics, planning and allocation, and finance.

Bell has been Coldwater Creek's chief financial officer since April 2010. He will continue to fill that role in his new job, the company said Thursday.

He joined the company in late 2009 as vice president of financial planning. Prior to that, he was a senior vice president at Harry and David Holdings Inc. and was senior director of finance at Gap Inc.