Rick L. Adams
Vice President, Grainger Community Grant Program, Grainger
Rick L. Adams is Vice President of the Grainger Community Grant Program. He is responsible for coordinating the company’s recommendations for charitable support to The Grainger Foundation. Before taking on that role, he was Vice President, Supply Chain Process Management, responsible for supply-chain processes and the SAP system throughout Grainger.
A company employee since 1988, Mr. Adams also has served as Vice President, Supply Chain Development, overseeing the successful replacement of remaining legacy systems with SAP for Grainger’s U.S. supply chain. In addition, he was President of Grainger Parts and Vice President of Logistics. In the latter post, he oversaw the reconfiguration of the logistics network, including the construction of nine automated distribution centers.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Adams worked for eight years in retail distribution, as an industrial engineer and distribution center operations manager. As a Quality Consultant, he assisted the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management administration with the application of total quality management principles. He is certified in production and inventory management (CPIM).
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), with 2008 sales of $6.9 billion, is a leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving businesses and institutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Panama. Through a highly integrated network including more than 600 branches, 18 distribution centers and multiple Web sites, Grainger's employees help customers get the job done.
Mr. Adams served on the School’s Board of Directors from 1998-2007 and was re-elected to the Board in 2008. He has been a faculty member at the Graduate School since 2005.
BS, Business, Indiana University
MBA, J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management – Northwestern University
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