Ace Hardware names Kim Lefko Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
Ace Hardware Corporation, the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Lefko to the position of Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Lefko will report directly to John Venhuizen, President and Chief Executive Officer.
As Ace Hardware’s new CMO, Lefko will lead the brand’s global marketing and advertising efforts and digital initiatives. Along with her team, she will be responsible for developing innovative strategies that further Ace Hardware’s brand promise and position Ace as the most convenient and helpful hardware stores on the planet.
“We are excited to welcome Kim to Ace as our new Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer,” said John Venhuizen, President and CEO at Ace Hardware. “In concert with her new team, Kim’s 20 years of results developing and advancing beloved consumer brands will further our local owners’ passion to fulfill Ace’s brand promise as the helpful place. I believe Kim will be a great addition to our leadership team.”
Most recently, Lefko served as Chief Marketing Officer at Weber Stephen Products, maker of the Weber grill. In that role, she led the development of a centralized global website that streamlined e-commerce, fulfillment and services. Prior to that, Lefko served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Company Officer at Radio Flyer where she oversaw the development of the company’s first internal Sales and Marketing organization.
Lefko also brings a wealth of experience from her time at Newell Rubbermaid. She held various marketing leadership roles as she transitioned Graco Children’s Products to one of the largest, most profitable business units within the company. Lefko started her career in sales and marketing at Black & Decker with various positions across Product Management, Event Marketing and National Account Management.
Lefko earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing Communications and Economics from Cornell University.
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,000 locally owned and operated hardware stores in over 55 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.
