Interface names Hurd CEO
Interface, Inc., a worldwide commercial flooring company and global leader in sustainability, announced it has appointed Laurel M. Hurd as president and CEO, effective April 18, 2022.
“Interface is a special company. I’m drawn by its powerful purpose and honored to step into the CEO position to build on the company’s foundation as a leader in design, innovation, and sustainability,” said Hurd.
The new CEO will lead Interface on its next phase of growth, said the firm, while also delivering on its mission to become a carbon negative enterprise by 2040.
“I intend to take us forward to capitalize on the re-emergence of the commercial interiors market and to continue to take share globally as we successfully diversify across segments and expand our mix of products,” said Hurd.
Hurd will succeed Daniel T. Hendrix, who has served a second stint in the CEO role since January 2020, said Interface. Hendrix will continue his 39-year tenure with the company remaining as chairman of the board of directors.
“We’re excited to have her strategic mindset and her passion for design and sustainability coming to Interface to accelerate our growth,” said Hendrix.
As segment president of learning and development at Newell Brands, said Interface, Hurd oversaw the company’s largest segment representing more than $3 billion in revenue in 2021, or more than a quarter of Newell’s overall revenue, and approximately $600 million of operating profit.
“Laurel has had great success building new market and growth opportunities for some of Newell’s most well-known brands,” said Hendrix.
The company said that Hurd is a results-driven leader who brings to Interface 30 years of sales management, product development, and brand stewardship experience in both the consumer-packaged goods and the consumer durables sectors.
“Laurel is an impressive operational leader, bringing to Interface her experience with global P&L responsibility in brand-oriented consumer spaces,” said Chris Kennedy, CEO selection committee member and lead independent director of the Interface board.
Founded in 1973, Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., has facilities and teams distributed on six continents and in more than 110 countries. The firm said it is “embedded within the same communities as our customers. Essentially, we live where we work, and our global reach combined with local knowledge helps us to build customer relationships that are collaborative, committed and productive.”