Ace reshuffles its board, gets new chairman

Oak Brook, Illinois-based Ace Hardware Corporation made some updates to its corporate board of directors, not the least of which includes the planned appointment of Jim Ackroyd as chairman.

Ackroyd is the CEO of Vision Ace Hardware, an 11-store chain in southwest Florida. He was named vice chairman last year as part of a planned changeover within the chairman position. As a member of Ace's board since 2008, he was also re-elected to another three-year term as a member director.

New to the Ace board is Mark Schulein, president of Crown Ace Hardware, a 16-store chain based in Huntington Beach, California. 

Non-member director Jeffrey Girard was also re-elected to the board. Girard is the owner of Beam Dynamics, a manufacturer of metal components used in scientific research.

Non-member director John Costello also resigned from the board on March 1, citing time constraints related to his role as president of global marketing and innovation officer for Dunkin Brands. Richard Bennet III, co-CEO of CCA Global Partners, has stepped in to serve out the remainder of Costello's unexpired term.

The board now conists of 11 members, which include nine Ace retailers and two external professionals.