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World and Main

New CEO for World and Main

National distributor World and Main has hired former building supply company executive Bryan Yeazel as its new president and CEO, effective immediately.

Yeazel replaces G. Stephen LeGraw, who served as interim CEO for the past few months following executive staff changes, including the exit of former president and CEO Don Devine in February. LeGraw will also be leaving the company.

World and Main has undergone a variety of recent transitions, such as a name change in October to position itself as the national distributor the company has become. The company was created in 2013 through the merger of New Jersey’s Howard Berger Company and the assets of Texas-based Handy Hardware.

“I am excited to join World and Main’s talented team and to execute on the next phase of the company’s growth initiatives,” Yeazel says. “World and Main has an outstanding sourcing operation, an attractive portfolio of brands and a broad product assortment. These capabilities provide us with exceptional growth opportunities across the channels we serve.”

Yeazel has experience leading building product companies, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Stock Building Supply, now known as Atlanta-based BMC Stock Holdings. BMC provides building products and services to professional builders and contractors in the residential housing market, serving customers in 17 states.

Yeazel led Stock Building Supply’s operating businesses, integrated supply chain and other key functions, where he improved customer service and operational efficiency, grew market share and successfully integrated strategic acquisitions, according to World and Main. Prior to that, Yeazel served as chief administrative officer and general counsel of Stock Building Supply.

“We are confident that Bryan is the right leader for our business who can leverage our strong brands and management team to drive the next stage of World and Main’s product innovation, further strengthen our customer relationships and execute on potential strategic acquisitions,” says Steven Raich, a member of World and Main’s board of directors.

World and Main, LLC, of  Cranberry, New Jersey, is a provider of product development, merchandising and distribution solutions to customers across the home, hardware and building supplies categories.

About Kate Klein

Kate is profiles editor for Hardware Retailing magazine. She reports on news and industry events and writes about retailers' unique contributions to the independent home improvement sector. She graduated from Cedarville University in her home state of Ohio, where she earned a bachelor's degree in English and minored in creative writing. She loves being an aunt, teaching writing to kids, running, reading, farm living and, as Walt Whitman says, traveling the open road, “healthy, free, the world before me.”

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