The National Retail Federation elected two new members to the NRF Board of Directors during its virtual summer board meeting today.
The NRF board welcomed Hal Lawton, president and CEO of Tractor Supply Company, and Anish Melwani, chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc. They will both serve a two-year term until June 2022.
“Hal Lawton and Anish Melwani have shown exceptional leadership during the past few months as our country and the retail industry have faced the coronavirus pandemic and heightened racial injustice,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Their involvement with the NRF board will be instrumental as we work to reopen businesses, bringing the economy with them, and get America back to work.”
Hal Lawton joined Tractor Supply Company in January 2020, just prior to the coronavirus spreading to the United States. As an essential retailer, Tractor Supply has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Lawton’s leadership, the company has taken more than 100 actions in response to the pandemic with an emphasis on the health and safety of its team members and customers, while enhancing and accelerating investments to position the company to emerge stronger than before the crisis. A 15-year retail veteran with experience at Macy’s, eBay and The Home Depot, Lawton led Tractor Supply to be the first national retailer to convert pandemic appreciation bonuses for its front-line team members to permanent wage increases and added benefits, including the offering of medical and other benefits for part-time team members and equity ownership grants for store managers.
Anish Melwani was appointed chairman and CEO of LVMH Inc. in January 2016 and leads all LVMH activities in North America. In addition to accelerating growth and development opportunities for LVMH brands, Melwani has also been recognized for his commitment to treat all employees fairly and with dignity, and for taking a corporate stand to fight unconscious bias and help its brands promote equality.
View the current list of NRF Board of Directors.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.