Hal Lawton, President of Macy’s, will resign, effective Dec. 6, and become CEO of Tractor Supply on Jan. 13, 2020. He will succeed current Tractor Supply CEO Greg Sandfort, who previously announced his plans to retire after 12 years with the company.
Lawton has been with Macy’s since September 2017, when he joined the retailer after working for two years as Senior VP of eBay North America. He also spent 10 years at Home Depot in roles including SVP for Merchandising, and previously worked at McKinsey & Company.
“Hal has made significant contributions to the business over the past two years, including improving the Macy’s operational cadence,” said Jeff Gennette, Chairman and CEO of Macy’s in a statement. “Hal also helped us build an excellent team and, with their leadership, I’m confident that Macy’s will continue strong execution through Holiday 2019 and beyond.”
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Lawton’s background at eBay heralded an increased interest in e-Commerce at the department store, including the appointment of Jill Ramsey as the company’s first Product and Digital Revenue Officer in December 2017. Macy’s also worked to modernize its brick-and-mortar operations under Lawton’s watch through the acquisition of STORY and an investment in b8ta, both of which have helped Macy’s develop pop-up concepts.
“Hal is a proven leader with a unique omnichannel experience to deliver on our customer’s evolving expectations as we look to the future of retail,” said Cynthia Jamison, Chairman of the Board at Tractor Supply. “With a strong track record of results across different companies, responsibilities and cultures, Hal has a broad base of experience in retail with a proven ability to drive innovative growth strategies. The Board is delighted to welcome Hal to the role and believes he is the right person to extend the remarkable track record of success under Greg’s leadership.”
Sandfort will remain with Tractor Supply through Feb. 29, 2020, then serve as an advisor until Aug. 31 to ensure a seamless transition. He also will serve out his term on the Board of Directors until May 7.
