Home Hardware Appointments

Home Hardware Stores Limited announced the appointment of new Directors in the Merchandise department to support their strategic growth and focus on customer-centric category management.

Tara Spengen is a retail leader with extensive experience centralizing national procurement activities with a deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets. With over 25 years in retail experience at ACI Brands INC, Korhani Home, Walmart Canada and Hudson’s Bay Company, she is highly successful in building Supplier relationships and delivering on profit and growth results. She joins Home Hardware as Director, Merchandise Hardlines which was previously held by Brian Straus.

Carol Crystal is a Merchandising expert with extensive experience in driving profitable sales and bridging the art and science of merchandising within multi-channel retail organizations. She brings almost 20 years of retail experience from organizations such as Lowe’s Canada, Walmart Canada and Hudson’s Bay. She joins Home Hardware as Director, Merchandise Hardlines, which was previously held by Dave Martin.

Craig Thompson is an established business professional with a history of driving company transformation and profitability. Prior to Home Hardware, Craig held almost 20 years of leadership retail positions, including his most recent role as a Commercial Planning and Analytics leader at Walmart Canada. He joins Home Hardware as Director, Merchandise Hardlines, which was previously held by Rob Szekszer.

Meriyem Kaf is a results and data-driven retail expert with consistent success driving cost management and profit growth. She brings over 14 years of solid retail industry experience from Walmart Canada, Sobeys and AC Nielsen with a focus on category management optimization. She joins Home Hardware as Director, Merchandise Strategy and Execution, which is a new role established to drive the success of Home’s Merchandise strategies.

The new Merchandise leadership appointments support Home’s Vision to be the most trusted and preferred home improvement retail brand, while ensuring the optimal Merchandising structure is in place to deliver on growth & business strategies. The Directors join Home Hardware on August 31, with Spengen, Crystal and Thompson reporting to Rob Szekszer, Vice-President, Merchandise – Hardlines and Kaf joining on September 8, reporting to Marianne Thompson, Senior Vice-President, Merchandise.

“Home is focused on providing best-in-class assortments to support our Vision to be Canada's most trusted and preferred home improvement retail brand,” said Marianne Thompson, Senior Vice-President, Merchandise. “We are thrilled to welcome four new Directors to our Merchandise leadership team with a focus on customer-centric category management which allows us to improve our customer experience, delivering on the expectations of Canadian shoppers and growth for our Dealer-Owners.”

 

Home Hardware Appoints Senior Director in Operations; Makes Strategic Reorganization

Home Hardware Stores Limited announced the appointment of a new Senior Director on their sales and operations team to support their strategic growth and focus on operational excellence for their nearly 1,100 independently-owned stores.

Darrin Sayles, who joins the team on September 8, is an accomplished sales and operations strategist with a 25-year track record of significantly growing retail sales and expanding store networks. He held operational leadership positions from retailers such as Carter’s, Campus Crew, American Eagle and Jean Machine. He joins Home Hardware from Carter’s, where he held the role of Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations.

“Home is focused on operational excellence and implementing sales growth strategies to support our Dealers to achieve our Vision to be Canada's most trusted and preferred home improvement retail brand,” said Darrin Noble, Vice-President, Store Operations. “Darrin Sayles is a proven leader who will bring a strategic and results-oriented approach to this position and drive our growth strategy.”

Darrin Sayles joins Home as Senior Director, National Retail Sales and Operations. Going forward, all Ontario Retail Sales and Operations Managers will report directly to Grant Allen, Director, Retail Operations, Central. The four Retail Operations Directors (Jeff Martin, Grant Allen, Tim Dietrich and Mario Durocher) and their regional teams will report into Sayles.

Dale MacPherson has been appointed as Senior Director, Store Operations Support. The Business Development team, formerly led by Dunc Wilson before his retirement earlier this year, was previously realigned to report directly to MacPherson. He will now oversee Construction and Real Estate, while continuing to provide support and oversight for the Dealer application process.

About Home Hardware Stores Limited
Home Hardware Stores Limited is Canada's largest Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials, and furniture home improvement retailer with over 1,050 stores under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners. Founded in 1964 in rural St. Jacobs, Ontario, Home Hardware remains 100% Canadian owned and operated. Through the Home Hardware network, Dealer-Owners have extensive distribution and marketing capabilities as well as access to thousands of quality, brand name and private label products. Home Hardware Stores Limited has received designation as one of Canada's Best Brands and Best Managed Companies and is committed to helping Canadians with all of their project needs. More information about the company is available at homehardware.ca.