RONA inc. says Alain Ménard will become its president and chief executive officer next month, succeeding J.P. Towner, who is moving into a senior advisory role with the home-improvement retailer’s owner, Sycamore Partners.
The leadership change takes effect Oct. 1, with Towner also joining the retailer’s board of directors. The company says Towner and Ménard will continue to work closely together during the transition as the company moves into its next phase of growth.
Leadership transition
Ménard has been with RONA since January 2024, when he joined as senior vice-president of RONA Affiliated Dealers. In that role, the company says he has developed relationships across the organization while drawing on his retail experience and knowledge of the affiliated dealer model and RONA’s operations and culture.
As CEO, Ménard will focus on maintaining the momentum of recent years while advancing RONA’s strategy, according to the company.
“I am honoured to lead RONA and build on our teams’ achievements,” said Menard. “Together with the leadership team, I will focus on advancing our strategy, supporting our teams, serving our customers and strengthening our corporate stores and affiliated dealer network.”
Towner’s move to Sycamore Partners will see him work with the private-equity firm on the retailer’s strategy and provide expertise on key priorities and decisions. He will remain connected to the retailer through his position on its board.
The company said the transition follows several changes made during Towner’s three years as CEO. During that period, RONA says it united three banners under a single brand and recorded growth in its professional, or PRO, and digital businesses.
It also increased the share of its sales generated by private-label brands, introduced shop-in-shop concepts with major national brands and added new affiliated dealers, the company said.
It also cited efforts to develop what it describes as a more agile and entrepreneurial culture, improve productivity and strengthen its workplace practices.
Focus on growth
RONA said the leadership transition is intended to build on those initiatives as the company continues its growth strategy.
RONA operates a network of more than 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+ and RONA banners. The company is headquartered in Boucherville, Que., and says it employs about 21,000 people.
The retailer has operated in Canada’s home-improvement and construction market since 1939, according to the company.
RONA said Ménard’s experience with its affiliated dealer network will be part of his focus as he assumes the CEO role, with the company emphasizing both its corporate stores and affiliated dealers as areas of continued attention.
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