Ace Hardware Names Kirk Armstrong New Vice President of Distribution and Supply Chain Innovation

Ace Hardware Corporation (“Ace”), the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, is excited to announce the appointment of Kirk Armstrong to the position of Vice President of Distribution and Supply Chain Innovation. Armstrong will report directly to Lori Bossmann, Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer.

Kirk Armstrong

Along with his team, Armstrong will be responsible for overseeing Ace’s distribution, traffic and corporate engineering operations to continue providing Ace retailers with access to the best assortment of the industry’s top brands.

“We are pleased to welcome Kirk to Ace as our new Vice President of Distribution and Supply Chain Innovation,” said Bossmann. “Our company was built on a commitment to being the best wholesaler so that our great independent owners can focus on what they do best – being the most helpful hardware stores on the planet. We remain intensely focused on enhancing our supply chain and believe Kirk will help us achieve that vision.”

Armstrong joins Ace Hardware from Owens & Minor, a leading Healthcare distributor and solutions provider, where he served as Senior Vice President, Operations and Supply Chain. From 2003 to 2011, Armstrong worked at Essendant, a business products distributor, in several senior Distribution Operations and Logistics positions. Prior to joining Essendant, Armstrong spent 13 years at Grainger in positions of increasing responsibility, lastly as Region Vice President, Distribution Operations.

Armstrong holds a bachelor degree in Management from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and a Master of Science in International Logistics from Georgia Tech.

About Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,200 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com .

Source: Ace Hardware Corporation