Former Home Depot exec joins Office Depot

Former Home Depot executive Troy Rice has joined Office Depot as EVP retail as the office products company continues to build out its senior leadership team in the wake of its merger with OfficeMax.

Rice replaces Juan Guerrero and will report directly to Roland Smith, chairman and CEO of Office Depot.

On Rice’s resume are 16 years in positions of increasing responsibility at Home Depot, culminating in the role of division president, Northern Division, in which he held full operational responsibility for Home Depot’s largest division, with more than $24 billion of annual revenue.

Most recently, Rice was with Toys “R” Us for eight years.

“Troy is an accomplished executive who has focused his career on improving operational performance and the customer experience in multi-unit retail stores,” said Smith. “His 20-plus years of experience in retail operations and his omnichannel orientation will enable him to make immediate and significant contributions to a number of Office Depot’s 2014 critical priorities.”

“Office Depot has the exciting opportunity of bringing two great brands together in a way that provides the greatest benefit for our customers,” Rice said. “I look forward to applying my experience and energy to this challenge and to making a significant positive impact.

Rice, 51, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga.