UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 24, 2012
MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
New York | 1-14130 | 11-3289165 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
75 Maxess Road, Melville, New York | 11747 |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (516) 812-2000
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
(b), (c) and (e) On October 24, 2012, the Board of Directors (the “ Board ”) of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (the “ Company ”) elected Erik Gershwind to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, David Sandler to serve as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board and Mitchell Jacobson to serve as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, in each case effective on January 1, 2013. Currently, Mr. Gershwind serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, Mr. Sandler serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Mr. Jacobson serves as the Chairman of the Board. Each of Messrs. Gershwind, Sandler and Jacobson currently serves on the Board and will continue to do so. These management changes are being made in furtherance of the Company’s previously disclosed management succession plan.
Mr. Gershwind, age 41, was appointed our President and Chief Operating Officer in October 2011. Mr. Gershwind previously served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from October 2009 until October 2011 and as our Senior Vice President, Product Management and Marketing from December 2005 until October 2009. Prior to that, he held various positions of increasing responsibility at the Company in business development, sales management, branch integration, and eCommerce. Mr. Gershwind joined the Company in 1996 as manager of our acquisition integration initiative, and in 1999 established our highly successful Internet business as Director of eCommerce. He also has served on the Company’s Board since October 2010.
In connection with Mr. Gershwind’s promotion to President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gershwind’s annual base salary will be increased to $600,000 per annum, effective January 1, 2013. In addition, Mr. Gershwind will be eligible for a bonus for fiscal year 2013 under the Company's 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”). As Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gershwind will be eligible for a bonus at a level of 1% of EBIT (subject to the annual individual participant limit of $4 million). This award level is made to qualify the annual incentive bonus as deductible performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the award will be subject to the exercise of negative discretion by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Committee’s policy is to exercise its discretion to reduce payouts so that actual payouts are equal to the payouts determined under the Company’s annual incentive bonus program. Mr. Gershwind also will be eligible for equity awards under the Plan. Effective January 1, 2013, Mr. Sandler’s annual base salary as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board will be $775,000, and Mr. Sandler will not participate in the Company’s annual incentive bonus plan for fiscal year 2013 or receive equity awards. Effective January 1, 2013, Mr. Jacobson will receive as compensation for serving as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board the same cash and equity compensation that is paid to non-employee directors.
Mr. Gershwind is the nephew of Mr. Jacobson and the son of Marjorie Gershwind Fiverson, Mr. Jacobson’s sister. Mr. Jacobson and Mrs. Gershwind Fiverson are also principal shareholders of the Company.
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The Company is affiliated with a real estate entity that leases a distribution center located in Atlanta, Georgia to Sid Tool, the Company’s operating subsidiary. The real estate entity is owned and controlled by Mr. Jacobson and Mrs. Gershwind Fiverson. In addition, Mr. Gershwind is an officer and director of the real estate entity. The original square footage of the distribution center was approximately 529,000 square feet. The terms of the lease agreement were independently determined to be at fair market value at the time Sid Tool entered into the lease. On April 1, 2008, Sid Tool and the landlord entered into an amendment to the lease, which provided for a 172,000 square foot expansion of this facility and an extension of the lease term until 2030. Based on local market terms and data compiled by an independent real estate consultant, the Company believes the lease amendment to be on arm’s length terms. The total rent paid by Sid Tool under the foregoing lease agreement was $2,257,958 in fiscal year 2012. The aggregate rent to be paid by Sid Tool under the remaining lease term is approximately $43,651,039, including $2,293,099 to be paid in fiscal year 2013.
On October 25, 2012, the Company issued a press release announcing the management changes described above. The entire text of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 5.03 Amendment to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
On and effective October 24, 2012, the Board, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board, amended and restated the bylaws of the Company. The bylaws were amended to (i) create the new office of Executive Vice Chairman of the Board, (ii) provide that the Chairman of the Board may or may not simultaneously serve as an officer of the Company and (iii) provide that if the Chairman of the Board does not simultaneously serve as an officer of the Company, he will be designated the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.
The preceding description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws. A copy of our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, marked to show changes to our former bylaws, is attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits:
Exhibit Index |
Exhibit No. |
|
Description |
3.1 |
Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (as of October 24, 2012)
|
|
99.1 | Press Release, dated October 25, 2012, issued by MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO., INC. | |||
Date: | October 25, 2012 | By: | /s/ Jeffrey Kaczka |
Name: | Jeffrey Kaczka | ||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
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Exhibit Index |
Exhibit
No. |
Description |
|
3.1 | Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc., (as of October 24, 2012) | |
99.1 | Press Release, dated October 25, 2012, issued by MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. |
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EXHIBIT 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS
OF
MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO., INC.
(as
amended
on September 14, 2007
of October 24, 2012
)
1. MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS.
1.1. Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of shareholders shall be held on a date determined by the board of directors (the “Board”) or as soon thereafter as practicable, and shall be held at a place and time determined by the Board.
1.2. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by resolution of the Board or by the president and shall be called by the president or secretary upon the written request (stating the purpose or purposes of the meeting) of a majority of the Board or of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. Only business related to the purposes set forth in the notice of the meeting may be transacted at a special meeting.
1.3. Place of Meetings . Meetings of the shareholders may be held in or outside New York State.
1.4. Notice of Meeting; Waiver of Notice . Written notice of each meeting of shareholders shall be given to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting, except that (a) it shall not be necessary to give notice to any shareholder who submits a signed waiver of notice before or after the meeting, and (b) no notice of an adjourned meeting need be given except when required by law. Each notice of a meeting shall be given, personally or by mail, not less than 10 nor more than 50 days before the meeting and shall state the time and place of the meeting, and unless it is the annual meeting, shall state at whose direction the meeting is called and the purposes for which it is called. If mailed, notice shall be considered given when mailed to a shareholder at his address on the Corporation’s records. The attendance of any shareholder at a meeting, without protesting before the end of the meeting the lack of notice of the meeting, shall constitute a waiver of notice by him.
1.5. Quorum . The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. In the absence of a quorum a majority in voting interest of those present or, in the absence of all the shareholders, any officer entitled to preside at or to act as secretary of the meeting, may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is present. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present any action may be taken which might have been taken at the meeting as originally called.
1.6. Voting, Proxies . Corporate action to be taken by shareholder vote, other than the election of directors, shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders, except as otherwise provided by law or by section 1.7 of these by-laws and subject to Article FOURTH (C) (I) of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation. Directors shall be elected in the manner provided in section 2.1 of these by-laws. Voting need not be by ballot unless requested by a shareholder at the meeting or ordered by the chairman of the meeting. Every proxy must be signed by the shareholder or his attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be valid after eleven months from its date unless it provides otherwise.
1.7. Action by Shareholders Without a Meeting . Any shareholder action may be taken without a meeting if written consent to the action is signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the action.
2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
2.1. Number, Qualification, Election and Term of Directors . The business of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board, which shall consist of one director who shall be at least 18 years old, but whenever there are two shareholders there shall be two directors and whenever there are three or more shareholders there shall be at least three directors (unless the number of directors is increased in accordance with the following sentence). The number of directors may be changed by resolution of a majority of the entire Board or by the shareholders, but no decrease may shorten the term of any incumbent director. Directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of shareholders by a plurality of the votes cast, subject to Article FOURTH (C) of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until the election of their respective successors. The Board shall be initially composed of four directors.
2.2. Quorum and Manner of Acting . A majority of the entire Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting, except as provided in section 2.8 of these by-laws. Action of the Board shall be authorized by the vote of a majority of the directors present at the time of the vote if there is a quorum, unless otherwise provided by law or these by-laws. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn any meeting from time to time until a quorum is present.
2.3. Place of Meetings . Meetings of the Board may be held in or outside New York State.
2.4. Annual and Regular Meetings . Annual meetings of the Board, for the election of officers and consideration of other matters, shall be held either (a) without notice immediately after the annual meeting of shareholders and at the same place, or (b) as soon as practicable after the annual meeting of shareholders, on notice as provided in section 2.6 of these by-laws. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such times and places as the Board determines. If the day fixed for a regular meeting is a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held the next business day.
2.5. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman of the Board, a majority of the Board or the president of the Corporation.
2.6. Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice . Notice of the time and place of each special meeting of the Board, and of each annual meeting not held immediately after the annual meeting of shareholders and at the same place, shall be given to each director by mailing it to him at his residence or usual place of business or telephoning or telegraphing it to him at least two days before the meeting. Notice of a special meeting shall also state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Notice need not be given to any director who submits a signed waiver of notice before or after the meeting or who attends the meeting without protesting the lack of notice to him, either before the meeting or when it begins. Notice of any adjourned meeting need not be given, other than by announcement at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
2.7. Resignation and Removal of Directors . Any director may resign at any time. Any or all of the directors may be removed at any time, either with or without cause, by vote of the shareholders, and any of the directors may be removed for cause by the Board.
2.8. Vacancies . Any vacancy in the Board, including one created by an increase in the number of directors, may be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum.
2.9. Compensation . Directors shall receive such compensation as the Board determines, together with reimbursement of their reasonable expenses in connection with the performance of their duties. A director may also be paid for serving the Corporation, its affiliates or subsidiaries in other capacities, subject to limitations applicable to independent directors pursuant to securities laws and/or regulations of any stock exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are traded.
2.10. Board or Committee Action Without a Meeting . Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board or by any committee of the Board may be taken without a meeting if all of the members of the Board or of the committee consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consents by the members of the Board or the committee shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or of the committee.
2.11. Participation in Board or Committee Meetings by Conference Telephone . Any or all members of the Board or of any committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or of the committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
2.12. Chairman of the Board. From its members, the Board will annually elect a Chairman of the Board to preside over meetings of the Board and of the shareholders. The Chairman of the Board may or may not simultaneously serve as an officer of the Corporation. If the Chairman of the Board does not simultaneously serve as an officer of the Corporation, the Chairman of the Board will be designated the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.
3. COMMITTEES.
3.1. Executive Committee . The Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board, may designate an Executive Committee of three or more directors which shall have all the authority of the Board, except as otherwise provided in the resolution or bylaw, and which shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. All actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the Board at its next meeting. The Executive Committee shall adopt rules of procedure and shall meet as provided by those rules or by resolutions of the Board.
3.2. Other Committees . The Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board, may designate other committees of directors, to serve at the Board’s pleasure, with such powers and duties as the Board determines.
4. OFFICERS.
4.1. Number; Security . The executive officers of the Corporation shall be the executive vice chairman of the Board, chief executive officer, president, one or more vice presidents (including, one or more executive vice presidents and one or more senior vice presidents, if the Board so determines, in which event the Board shall determine whether a vice president reporting to an executive or senior vice president is also an executive officer of the Corporation), a secretary, a chief information officer, a chief financial officer and such other officers as the Board shall determine. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of president and secretary. The Board may require any officer, agent, or employee to give security for the faithful performance of his duties.
4.2. Election; Term of Office . The executive officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board, and each such officer shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Board and until the election of his successor.
4.3. Subordinate Officers . The Board may appoint subordinate officers (including assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, and in certain cases, vice presidents), agents or employees, each of whom shall hold office for such period and have such powers and duties as the Board determines. The Board may delegate to any executive officer or to any committee the power to appoint and define the powers and duties of any subordinate officers, agents or employees.
4.4. Resignation and Removal of Officers . Any officer may resign at any time. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board or appointed by an executive officer or by a committee may be removed by the Board either with or without cause.
4.5. Vacancies . A vacancy in any office may be filled for the unexpired term by the Board.
4.6.
Executive
Vice
Chairman of the Board
. The
Executive Vice
Chairman of the Board shall
preside at all
meetings of the Board and of the shareholders.
,
subject
to the control of the Board,
he shall
have general supervision over the business of the Corporation and shall
have such other powers and duties as the Board shall assign to him.
4.7. The Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer, president and chief operating officer of the Corporation. Subject to the control and oversight of the Board, he shall have general charge and supervision over the business affairs, operations and overall strategic direction of the Corporation and shall have such other powers and duties as the Board assigns to him from time to time.
4.8. Vice President . Each vice president shall have such powers and duties as the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer assigns to him from time to time.
4.9. Chief Financial Officer . The Chief Financial Officer shall be in charge of the Corporation’s books and accounts. Subject to the control of the Board, he shall have such other powers and duties as the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer assigns to him from time to time.
4.10. The Secretary . The secretary shall be the secretary of, and keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board and of the shareholders, shall be responsible for giving notice of all meetings of shareholders and of the Board, and shall keep the seal and, when authorized by the Board, apply it to any instrument requiring it. Subject to the control of the Board, he shall have such other powers and duties as the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer assigns to him from time to time. In the absence of the secretary from any meeting, the minutes shall be kept by the person appointed for that purpose by the presiding officer.
4.11. Chief Information Officer . The Chief Information Officer shall be responsible for the Corporation’s computer systems and supporting information technology infrastructure, including, without limitation, hardware and software systems relating to the Corporation’s purchasing, sales, distribution, finance and management information reporting functions. Subject to the control of the Board, he shall have such other powers and duties as the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer assigns to him from time to time.
4.12. Salaries . The Board or an appropriate committee thereof may fix the officers’ salaries, if any, or it may authorize the Chief Executive Officer to fix the salary of any other officer, subject in any case to applicable requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or such other exchange on which the Corporation’s securities may be traded.
5. SHARES
5.1. Certificates . The Corporation’s shares may be certificated or uncertificated, as provided under the Business Corporation Law of the State of New York. Each shareholder, upon written request to the transfer agent or registrar of the Corporation, shall be entitled to a certificate of the capital stock of the Corporation in the form approved by the Board. Each certificate shall be signed by the president or a vice president and by the secretary or an assistant secretary, or the treasurer or an assistant treasurer, and shall be sealed with the Corporation’s seal or a facsimile of the seal. Where such certificate is signed (1) by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or (2) by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, the signatures of the officers of the Corporation may be facsimiles. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer at the date of issue.
5.2. Transfers . Shares shall be transferable only on the Corporation’s books, upon surrender of the certificate for the shares if such shares are certificated, properly endorsed. The Board may require satisfactory surety before issuing a new certificate to replace a certificate claimed to have been lost or destroyed.
5.3. Determination of Shareholders of Record . The Board may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal without a meeting, or to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the purpose of any other action. The record date may not be more than 50 nor less than 10 days before the date of the meeting, nor more than 50 days before any other action.
6. MISCELLANEOUS.
6.1. Seal . The Board shall adopt a corporate seal, which shall be in the form of a circle and shall bear the Corporation’s name and the year and state in which it was incorporated.
6.2. Fiscal Year . The Board may determine the Corporation’s fiscal year. Until changed by the Board, the Corporation’s fiscal year shall end on the Saturday nearest August 31 of each year.
6.3. Voting of Shares in Other Corporations . Shares in other corporations which are held by the Corporation may be represented and voted by the president or a vice president of this Corporation or by proxy or proxies appointed by one of them. The Board may, however, appoint some other person to vote the shares.
6.4. Amendments . By-laws may be amended, repealed or adopted by the shareholders or by a majority of the entire Board, but any by-law adopted by the Board may be amended or repealed by the shareholders. If a by-law regulating elections of directors is adopted, amended or repealed by the Board, the notice of the next meeting of shareholders shall set forth the by-law so amended, repealed or adopted, together with a concise statement of the changes made.
7. Indemnification.
7.1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers . Any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding (other than one by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor), whether civil or criminal, including an action by or in the right of any other corporation of any type or kind, domestic or foreign, or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which any person served in any capacity at the request of the Corporation, by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or served such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in any capacity, shall be indemnified by the Corporation against the judgment, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expense (including attorney’s fees) actually and necessarily incurred by him as a result of such action or proceeding, or any appeal therein, to the full extent permissible under Section 722, 723 and 725 of the Business Corporation Law.
Any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is serving or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of any other corporation of any type, domestic or foreign, other enterprise, shall be indemnified by the Corporation against amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses (including attorney’s fees) actually and necessarily incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or in connection with any appeal therein, to the full extent permissible under Sections 722, 723 and 725 of the Business Corporation Law.
7.2. Contract of Indemnification . The provisions of Section 7.1 of this Article of the By-Laws shall be deemed a contract between the Corporation and each director and officer who serves in such capacity at any time while Section 7.1 hereof and the relevant provisions of the Business Corporation Law and other applicable law, if any, are in effect, and any repeal or modification thereof shall not affect any rights or obligations then existing with respect to any state of facts then or theretofore existing or any action or proceeding theretofore or thereafter brought or threatened based in whole or in part upon any such state of facts.
7.3. Nonexclusivity of statutory provisions for indemnification of Directors and Officers . The indemnification and advancement of expenses granted pursuant to, or provided by, this Article and the relevant provisions of the Business Corporation Law and other applicable law, if any, shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a director or officer seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled by resolution of shareholders, a resolution of directors, or an agreement providing for such indemnification, provided that no indemnification may be made to or on behalf of any director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the director or officer establishes that his acts were committed in bad faith or were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and were material to the cause of action so adjudicated, or that he personally gained in fact a financial profit or other advantage to which he was not legally entitled.
7.4. Indemnification of other Persons . The Board, in its discretion, shall have power on behalf of the Corporation to indemnify any person, other than a director or officer, made a party to any action or proceeding by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate, is or was an employee of the Corporation.
EXHIBIT 99.1
|
MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. |
75 Maxess Road | |
Melville, New York 11747-3151 | |
Tel. 800.645.7270 | |
Fax. 800.255.5067 | |
www.mscdirect.com |
news |
Investor Contact: |
John G. Chironna |
VP Investor Relations & Treasurer |
MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. |
(516) 812-1216 |
Media Contact: |
Rachel Rosenblatt |
FTI Consulting – Strategic Communications |
(212) 850-5600 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MSC INDUSTRIAL
DIRECT CO., INC. ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF
MANAGEMENT SUCCESSION PLAN
Erik Gershwind,
President and Chief Operating Officer, to Become Chief Executive Officer and President
David Sandler, Chief Executive Officer, will Transition to Executive Vice Chairman of the Board
Melville, NY, October 25, 2012 - MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO., INC. (NYSE: MSM), “MSC” or the “Company,” the premier distributor of Metalworking and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (“MRO”) supplies to industrial customers throughout the United States, today announced that Erik Gershwind will become President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2013, as part of the Company’s previously announced succession plan.
Mr. Gershwind, currently President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed current Chief Executive Officer, David Sandler. Upon the completion of this transition on January 1st and as previously announced, Mr. Sandler will serve as Executive Vice Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors until at least calendar year 2017. As Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Sandler will continue to play an important role in the Company, providing leadership and guidance to the Company’s executive team. Additionally, Chairman of the Board Mitchell Jacobson will become Non-Executive Chairman.
Under the succession plan, which has been in place since October 2010, Mr. Gershwind was selected by the Company’s Board of Directors as the successor to Mr. Sandler as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Gershwind, age 41, was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in October 2009 and promoted to President in October 2011. In October 2010, he was appointed a member of the Company’s Board of Directors. For more than 16 years, Mr. Gershwind has managed key aspects of MSC's business, beginning with mergers and acquisitions in 1996 and expanding into sales, product management, marketing and e-Commerce. In 1999, he established MSC's highly successful internet business. Since 2008, Mr. Gershwind has led the Company's strategic team responsible for defining and directing business strategy.
Mr. Sandler commented, “I would like to congratulate Erik on his appointment to Chief Executive Officer. Erik has worked diligently through positions of increasing responsibility during his extensive tenure at MSC and has demonstrated a strong history of accomplishment, leadership and contribution to defining and driving the Company’s strategy. He has an intimate understanding of the needs of our customers and all stakeholders, deep expertise in our industry and the vision to bring MSC into the future. I wish Erik all the best in his new role, and I look forward to working with him to ensure a smooth transition. I have never been more confident about the future of our Company.”
Mr. Gershwind commented, “It is an extraordinary opportunity to lead MSC as we enter this next phase of development here and in the industry. I believe MSC is in an ideal position to continue to grow and gain market share, and I am eager to embrace the responsibilities of leading the Company.”
Philip Peller, the Board of Directors’ Lead Director, said: “We are pleased to announce Erik’s appointment as CEO. Erik has the experience and vision, combined with a deep understanding of the Company and industry, to continue driving long-term value for all stakeholders. We also want to express our gratitude to David for his stewardship of MSC during his time as CEO. He was instrumental in guiding the Company through challenging times, created significant value during his tenure and has set MSC on a strong, sustainable path for years to come. I look forward to his continuing contributions as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board.”
About MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.
MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. is one of the largest distributors of Metalworking and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (“MRO”) supplies to industrial customers throughout the United States. MSC employs one of the industry’s largest sales forces and distributes approximately 600,000 industrial products from approximately 3,000 suppliers. In-stock availability is approximately 99%, with next day standard delivery to the contiguous United States on qualifying orders up until 8 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information, visit MSC’s website at http://www.mscdirect.com .
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Statements in this Press Release may constitute “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including statements about expected future results, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The inclusion of any statement in this release does not constitute an admission by MSC or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: problems with successfully integrating acquired operations, current economic, political and social conditions, changing customer and product mixes, financial restrictions on outstanding borrowings, industry consolidation, competition, general economic conditions in the markets in which we operate, volatility in commodity and energy prices, credit risk of our customers, risk of cancellation or rescheduling of orders, work stoppages or other business interruptions (including those due to extreme weather conditions) at transportation centers or shipping ports, the risk of war, terrorism and similar hostilities, dependence on our information systems and on key personnel, and the outcome of potential government or regulatory proceedings or future litigation relating to pending or future claims, inquiries or audits. Additional information concerning these and other risks is described under “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
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