Bob Baird, who helped make The Home Depot a destination for major appliances, is lending his white-goods and retail know-how to the $14 billion BrandSource buying group.
Baird is a 50-year industry veteran who also toiled at Maytag, The Good Guys, Fred Schmid, Circuit City and Montgomery Ward. He left Home Depot last spring as merchandising VP after 15 years and has since hung out a consultancy shingle.
In his latest assignment he will work with Brand-Source’s leadership team to drive sales and marketing, and will assist the group’s independent dealers in their tussles with big-box competitors.
“My role at BrandSource is to help the members grow their appliance business and grow it profitably,” Baird said. “I am very optimistic about the future of the appliance industry and the possibilities for the independent retailer.”
“We are thrilled to have him aboard,” added BrandSource CEO Jim Ristow, who cited Baird’s extensive marketing and merchandising background and his “proven track record of growing the business of each company he has worked for.”
