W.W. Grainger Inc. (Chicago): President and Chief Operating Officer James T. Ryan will succeed Richard L. Keyser as chief executive, effective June 1. Keyser, who will continue as the company’s chairman, became the first executive from outside the Grainger family to lead the 80-year-old company when he was named chief executive officer in 1995. Ryan was named chief operating officer and appointed to the board of directors in February 2007. He became president of Grainger in 2006. Ryan, who will be Grainger’s fourth CEO, retains his posts as chief operating officer and president.
Border States (Fargo, N.D.): The board of directors for Border States (BSE), has named Ken Rowland vice president–Northeast region. Rowland began his career with BSE as an account manager in July 1992. He served as Northeast Region business development manager and Northeast region manager before being named vice president. Rowland has general management responsibilities for 16 branch locations in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. Before joining BSE, Rowland was the corporate sales and marketing manager for Ryall Electric Supply. Shane Kerska has been named branch manager for Border States’ Sioux Falls, S.D., location. Kerska joined Border States in 1993 as a city delivery driver. He held various positions at the branch including warehouse associate, city desk representative, customer service representative, and account manager before being named branch manager. Kerska is a member of the South Dakota Electrical Council, Independent Electrical Contractors and Minnesota Electrical Association. Jim Mahurin has been named automation manager for Border States’ Southwest Region. With more than 30 years of electrical distribution experience, Mahurin will manage the Rockwell Automation product manager team in Arizona and New Mexico, and will also have involvement with software, programmable logic controllers and systems, and human-machine interface products. He was most recently an automation and control specialist in the company’s Albuquerque, N.M., branch.
WinWholesale (Dayton, Ohio): The company has appointed two company veterans to oversee operations for the Win Group of Companies in parts of the West and Southern areas of the United States. Jim Kennaugh was named an area leader in WinWholesale’s Western region, and Rob McCullough was named region manager for Noland Company’s Southern and Southeast regions. Noland is a wholly owned subsidiary of WinWholesale. Kennaugh is responsible for overseeing the growth and operation of 35 companies representing brands such as Winnelson, Winlectric and Winair in the Denver metro area, northern Colorado and all of Wyoming. During his 23-year wholesaling career, Kennaugh was president of Aurora Winnelson, a Colorado plumbing supply and equipment company, and has held other WinWholesale management positions. McCullough oversees growth and operations in five states that include 47 of Noland’s 105 branches. The states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. McCullough has held numerous positions at several Noland branches over the years, including inside and outside salesperson, operations and branch manager. He became the Atlanta branch manager in 2002.
Royal Electric Co. (Syracuse, N.Y.): Dodge Monteleone, owner of Royal Electric Co., is retiring and closing his independent electrical distributor business after 35 years. Monteleone, who just turned 79, began working in the electrical industry in 1955 at Superior Electric in Syracuse, before beginning the distribution company with his cousin, Frank Orso. Monteleone is going to remain in Syracuse so he can stay close to his family.
The Conduit Division of Robroy Industries (Gilmer, Texas): The company has promoted one of its associates, Starla Bickerstaff, to marketing manager/director of Corrosion College. Bickerstaff began with Robroy Industries in August 2005 as executive assistant/Corrosion College coordinator. In 2007 she was promoted to director of Corrosion College. She will keep that role besides her new responsibilities.
Ansell Protective Products Inc. (Red Bank, N.J.): Brian Perry has been promoted to national accounts manager - Corporate Accounts. Perry joined Ansell in November 2004 as the Milwaukee territory manager. In his new role, he will be responsible for engaging corporate executive sponsors with Guardian, Ansell’s cost improvement program. Perry will work closely with the director of sales, regional sales managers and local territory managers in an effort to meet the requirements of Ansell customers. Prior to joining Ansell, Perry held sales positions with Owens Corning’s Exterior Building Products Division and Boggis-Johnson Electric.
Lenox (East Longmeadow, Mass.): Bill Burke has been appointed group president —Tools & Hardware. As president of Lenox, Burke has led the Lenox Industrial Products and Services business since 2003. Burke will retain responsibility for the North American Lenox business until a successor is named at a later date.