O'Brien steps down at Acklands-Grainger in Canada

W.W. Grainger (Lake Forest, Ill.):Sean O'Brien, president, Acklands-Grainger Inc., Grainger's Canadian subsidiary, will resign from the company effective March 23. O'Brien joined Acklands-Grainger as V.P., sales, in Nov. 2007, taking on additional responsibilities for e-business and marketing in early 2009. He was named president in Sept. 2009.

Mike Pulick, president, Grainger International, will serve as interim president of Acklands-Grainger. Mike has held leadership positions with Grainger for more than 12 years, including leading Grainger's U.S. business from 2008-2011. He assumed leadership of Grainger's international businesses on Jan. 1. Acklands-Grainger Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Grainger, is Canada's largest distributor of industrial, safety, and fastener products with 2011 sales of $993 million (C$982 million), 172 branches, six distribution centers, and 2,600 team members. Grainger had 2011 sales of $8.1 billion.