Macy’s exec takes top spot at Tractor Supply

The nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer has ended its search for a chief executive.

Tractor Supply Company has named Hal Lawton as its president, CEO and a member of the board, effective January 13, 2020.  Lawton, who is currently president of Macy’s, will succeed Greg Sandfort, who previously announced his intent to retire. Sandfort has led Tractor Supply since December 2012, and previously served as president and COO. 

Lawton, 45, has served as president of Macy’s since September 2017, responsible for all aspects of the Macy’s brand, including merchandising, marketing, stores, operations, technology and consumer insights and analytics. Previously, Lawton was senior VP, eBay North America (from August 2015 to September 2017), where he oversaw all aspects of eBay’s Americas business unit, including marketing, merchandising, operations, business selling, consumer selling and advertising, as well as global responsibility for shipping, payments, risk and trust.  

Prior to joining eBay, Lawton spent 10 years in various leadership roles at Home Depot, where he most recently was senior VP for merchandising.  

“After conducting a robust search process, the Board is convinced Hal Lawton is the right CEO to build on Tractor Supply’s success and lead the next stage of the Company’s growth,” said Cynthia Jamison, chairman, Tractor Supply.  “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. 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.”

Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization and exclusive brands. As of September 28, 2019, the company operated 1,814 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states. It also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer with 176 stores in 26 states.