Big staff moves at Home Depot
The Home Depot has named Michael Rowe executive vice president (EVP) of Pro, effective immediately. Stephanie Smith will succeed Tim Hourigan as EVP of human resources upon his retirement on June 6, after nearly 23 years with the company. Meanwhile, Vinod Nalajala has been promoted to president, The Home Depot Canada, effective immediately.
As EVP of Pro, Rowe will be responsible for expanding the retailer's business with professional customers. In this role, Rowe will lead the expansion of key capabilities to serve the Pro market, including delivery capabilities, salesforce development, technology and CRM tools, order management and more. Most recently, Rowe served as president of The Home Depot Canada. A 19-year veteran of the company, Rowe has held several leadership roles for the Canadian division, including vice president of online, marketing and contractor services. Previously, Rowe served as vice president of finance and contractor services, procurement and strategic business development for The Home Depot Canada.
"We are uniquely positioned to win as we build out our Pro ecosystem, investing in capabilities to grow share of wallet with Pros no matter how they choose to shop with us," said Ted Decker, chair, president and CEO of The Home Depot. "As the head of our Canadian business, Mike led an unprecedented period of growth and expansion across the country and was instrumental in building our Pro business in Canada. His vision and operational expertise make him an ideal fit to lead our Pro business through its next phase of growth, alongside our talented Pro organization."
Vinod Nalajala, The Home Depot Canada's new president, joined The Home Depot Canada in 2001 as a sales associate. In his 24-year career with The Home Depot Canada, he has taken on roles of increasing responsibility including store manager, regional sales manager, senior manager of sales execution and district manager. He has served as vice president of human resources, central operations, contact centers, asset protection and building services.
Stephanie Smith will succeed Tim Hourigan as EVP of human resources upon his retirement. In this role, Smith will be responsible for driving the culture and experience for the more than 470,000 associates who work at The Home Depot – including leadership development, associate engagement and fostering of the company's unique culture and values. Previously, Smith served as senior vice president of supply chain for The Home Depot, where she was responsible for inventory management, transportation, delivery, supply chain analytics, product management and leadership of the Temco business. Smith has held leadership roles across store operations, merchandising operations, supply chain, inventory planning and replenishment.
"Stephanie's exceptional blend of operational expertise and thoughtful leadership was instrumental in fostering a team-oriented environment in our supply chain organization, resulting in improved associate engagement and performance," said Decker. "In her 22 years with The Home Depot, she has worked closely with virtually every team across the company, which gives her a unique understanding of the opportunities and challenges our associates face every day. I look forward to her continued leadership and contributions to our company's culture and success."
