Elkay welcomes new president and CEO ahead of company's 100th anniversary in 2020
Ric Phillips joins Elkay from Essendant
Elkay Manufacturing, an American-owned and operated manufacturer of plumbing and water delivery products and parent of Elkay Interior Systems, a global interior design and manufacturing company, and Elkay Commercial Systems, a stainless steel commercial kitchen products business, today announced that President and CEO Tim Jahnke, who has led the company since 2007, plans to retire from day-to-day leadership to concentrate on his role on Elkay's Board of Directors. Ric Phillips has been named by Elkay's Board to succeed Tim as president and chief executive officer.
Phillips is a seasoned senior executive with deep experience developing strategy, driving execution, negotiating transactions and positively impacting organizational culture. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Essendant (formerly United Stationers), Ric rebuilt the company’s overall strategy and oversaw the largest restructuring in its history. He consistently delivered performance at or above the company’s Wall Street guidance, and the company’s share price increased by more than 50% during his tenure. He planned, negotiated and announced an industry-changing merger with a major competitor and ultimately navigated the company to a successful combination in January 2019.