Pearlman Group Names McLendon CEO
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Scott McLendon, an experienced exec in B2B supplies distribution, is the new CEO of Pearlman Group, the leading U.S. developer and specialty distributor of supplies, tools and equipment for hard-surface fabricators.
McLendon, who also joins Pearlman’s board of directors, succeeds outgoing CEO Dan Davidenko.
McLendon brings more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive with engineered=products and specialty-industrial distribution companies, including Rexel USA, Gexpro (formerly GE Supply), Allied Electronics, and Phoenix Contact.
“I’m honored and excited to lead Pearlman,” stated McLendon. “This is an outstanding business with a truly differentiated value proposition. Working together with our dedicated employees, we will continue to deliver great customer experiences and unparalleled value while building a culture rooted in customer centricity, innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and ease of doing business.
“Ultimately, these core values will enable us to profitably scale the Pearlman Group platform and fulfill the potential of this tremendous company.”
“We’re very excited to have Scott leading this team,” said Clay Hunter, Pearlman board chairman and managing director of The Stephens Group. “He is a dynamic executive and a specialty-distribution-industry veteran with a combination of skills and depth of experience that is hard to find.
“We believe deeply in Pearlman and its opportunity. We know Pearlman’s growth, both organic and through acquisition, is almost limitless. The company is financially strong and particularly well-positioned at this time and Scott is the right person to continue driving the momentum.”
Hunter also thanked Davidenko for “his many contributions to the Company over the last 13 years.”
“With him leading the business, we accomplished a lot of great things; you can see the evidence in Pearlman’s strong historical growth and professionalization,” Hunter said. “Dan’s genuineness is well recognized by all. He cares deeply about the Pearlman organization, and we are grateful for his years of senior leadership. We look forward to supporting him in his next chapter.”
Pearlman, headquartered in Norcross, Ga., distributes products for hard-surface fabrication through its primary brands, GranQuartz, Regent, Granite City Tool and Pearl Abrasive.
Pearlman’s GranQuartz division is the market-leading distributor serving over 8,000 stone fabricators, tile installers and concrete and monument professionals. Pearl Abrasive is a leading developer and provider of high quality, branded abrasives and cutting tools to over 5,000 distributor customers in construction and industrial end-markets
The Stephens Group LLC is a private-investment firm that partners with talented management teams to help build valuable businesses. Backed by the resources of the Stephens family, the company has invested more than $1.5 billion since 2006, in a variety of industries, including industrial and commercial products and services, specialty distribution, B2B food and consumer products, technology infrastructure and tech-enabled services.