CHICAGO, Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger
(NYSE: GWW), the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair
and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions,
today announced the following executive leadership
appointments:
- Deidra (Dee) Merriwether,
currently Senior Vice President (SVP) and President, North American
Sales and Services, has been named Chief Financial Officer.
- Paige Robbins, currently SVP,
Chief Technology, Merchandising, Marketing and Strategy Officer,
has been named SVP and President of the Grainger Business Unit,
comprised of Grainger businesses in the
United States, Canada,
Mexico and Puerto Rico.
"Dee is a proven executive with a track record of delivering
profitable growth," said DG Macpherson, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Grainger. "Her financial expertise and deep
understanding of Grainger's business operations will serve the
company well as we execute our strategy and expand our leadership
position. I would also like to thank Rob
O'Keef for serving as our interim CFO and the entire
Grainger finance team for leading through a smooth transition. Rob
will resume his role as Vice President and Treasurer."
The Grainger Business Unit will merge all commercial functions
for the Grainger brand in North
America into a single organization. This new structure will
help drive profitable share gain and exceptional customer solutions
across geographies.
"We keep the world working when we truly understand our
customers' needs and provide solutions that keep their operations
running, protect their people, and save them time and money," said
Macpherson. "Integrating our sales, services and solutions
functions into one business unit will help Grainger better support
our customers with quicker, more coordinated decisions.
"Paige is well-positioned to lead the Grainger Business Unit,
bringing a strategic mindset and operational experience to the
role," continued Macpherson. "Since joining Grainger, Paige has
made significant contributions to the company, first as the head of
our Global Supply Chain function, and most recently leading
Grainger's Technology, Merchandising, Marketing and Strategy
functions. In each position, she delivered strong operational
results and put the customer first."
Merriwether and Robbins will assume their new roles effective
immediately.
About Deidra
Merriwether
Deidra (Dee)
Merriwether joined Grainger in 2013 as head of North America
Finance. In 2017, she became head of U.S. Direct Sales and Pricing,
leading the development and implementation of Grainger's new
pricing strategy, and reinvigorating the company's relationships
with large and medium customers throughout the United States. In 2020, she was named SVP
and President, North American Sales & Services, where she has
been responsible for Grainger's sales, solutions and customer
engagement strategies across North
America. Prior to joining Grainger, Merriwether worked in
various roles with Sears Holdings, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Eli
Lilly, where she delivered consistent top quartile performance. She
currently serves on the board of directors of Weyerhaeuser Company,
one of the world's largest timberlands operators, as well as the
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
About Paige Robbins
Paige Robbins joined Grainger in
2010 and, during her tenure, she has led the Global Supply Chain,
Branch Network, Customer Service Centers, Corporate Strategy,
Marketing, Merchandising and the Grainger Technology Group. Prior
to joining Grainger, Robbins served as Partner and Managing
Director at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she
specialized in industrial companies. At BCG, she helped her clients
on a range of issues including growth, customer segmentation,
pricing, profit improvement, supply chain and merger and
acquisition strategies.
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2019 sales of
$11.5 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of
maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products, with operations
primarily in North America,
Japan and Europe.
Safe Harbor Statement
All statements in this communication, other than those
relating to historical facts, are "forward-looking
statements" which are not guarantees of future performance
and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and could cause
actual results to differ materially from such statements. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those presented or implied in the forward- looking statements
include: the unknown duration and impacts of the global outbreak of
the coronavirus disease 2019; a major loss of customers; loss or
disruption of sources of supply; failure to develop or implement
new business strategies; the company's responses to market
pressures; the outcome of pending and future litigation or other
proceedings; government contract matters; disruption of information
technology or data security systems; general industry, economic,
market or political conditions; general global economic conditions;
facilities disruptions or shutdowns; natural and other
catastrophes; loss of key members of management; and other factors
that can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including our most recent reports filed on Form 10-K
and Form 10-Q, which are available on our Investor Relations
website. Forward-looking statements are given only as of the date
of this communication and we disclaim any obligation to update or
revise them, except as required by law.
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SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.