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Ace Hardware Corporation recently announced changes to the company’s board of directors following its 2026 annual meeting of stockholders. Following the meeting on May 12, Ace Hardware stockholders elected new non-member director Brandi Joplin to her first term on the company’s board of directors.
“I am pleased to welcome Brandi Joplin to the Ace Hardware board of directors,” says Steven Burggraf, chairman of the board, Ace Hardware Corporation. “Brandi brings a strong track record of leadership, innovation, and strategic insight that will further strengthen our Board and support Ace’s continued growth. We look forward to the valuable perspective and experience she will contribute as we continue building on Ace’s legacy of service and success.”
Joplin is a distinguished Fortune 1 financial executive, most recently serving as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sam’s Club. Before her tenure as CFO, she held various leadership roles at Walmart, including senior vice president, chief audit executive, where she worked closely with the Walmart board audit committee, vice president and international controller and vice president, global internal audit services, U.S. & Canada.
In addition to the election of a new non-member director, Ace Hardware stockholders re-elected member directors David Cripe and Matt Mazzone and non-member director Eric Lauterbach to the Ace Hardware board of directors.
Cripe joined the board in 2023 and serves as chair of the retail supply chain committee, a member of the compensation and human resources committee and nominating and governance committee. Cripe is vice president of Whitmore Investments, Inc., a 15-store Ace Hardware chain located in Wilmington, Illinois, and the surrounding communities.
Mazzone joined the Board in 2020. He is a member of the audit and finance committee and the retail stores and services committee and also currently serves on the board of directors of Ace International Hardware Corporation, a subsidiary of Ace. Mazzone is president of Mazzone Hardware Corp., a four-store chain located in New York City. Three of the locations are Ace-branded stores.
Lauterbach joined the board in 2023 and is chair of the compensation and human resources committee, a member of the retail supply chain committee and a member of the nominating and governance committee. Lauterbach is the former president and CEO of Peet’s Coffee, where he was responsible for all company operations, including subsidiaries Stumptown Coffee and Intelligentsia Coffee, as well as Peet’s international business in China and the Middle East.
Outgoing non-member director Karen May has served the maximum number of years of board service permitted by the bylaws. The company recognizes the years of dedicated service that May has provided and thanks her for her outstanding efforts.
