True Value names new CMO

True Value announced April 25 the appointment of Mike Clark as senior vp and chief merchandising officer, effective May 19. Clark, a 35-year retail industry veteran, replaces Steve Mahurin, who left the co-op at the end of March to become vp-merchandising for Office Depot.

Clark -- whose most recent role was overseeing merchandising for Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), an 85-store California-based chain -- will be responsible for leading True Value’s merchandising team, which drives nearly $2.0 billion annually in product sales. He will oversee branding and business strategies around product assortments, global sourcing, procurement and pricing.

Clark will be located at the company’s headquarters in Chicago and report to True Value president and CEO Lyle Heidemann.

“True Value Company is proud to welcome Mike to the cooperative,” Heidemann said. “A proven, seasoned merchandising expert and corporate leader, Mike will be invaluable as we continue our strong focus on the retail growth and success of our members.”

In his role with OSH, Clark oversaw all buying decisions, including assortment planning and management of vendor relationships as well as visual merchandising, merchandise marketing and inventory management.

Clark’s background also includes a 25-year career at Sears Roebuck & Co., where he held a variety of positions. One of those was vp and general merchandise manager, where he was responsible for the buying and retail replenishment of tools, paint and plumbing businesses.