Looks like The Home Depot will trade its trademarked orange apron for green and white.

Craig Menear

Lifelong Spartan Craig Menear will speak at the 2017 Warrington Lecture on September 28 at the Broad College (photo credit: The Home Depot)

Craig Menear (BA ’79 Human Resources), chairman, CEO and president of The Home Depot, will serve as speaker for the annual Warrington Lecture at the Broad College of Business.

Unlike Warrington Lectures of the past, Menear will sit down with Broad College Dean Sanjay Gupta for a “fireside chat” format, where they will discuss career paths, leadership, and issues facing businesses of today – drawing from Menear’s experience leading the largest home improvement specialty retailer in the world.

The Warrington Lecture will take place Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. in BCC N130.

A native of Flint, Michigan, Menear began working at a young age started a lawn care business neighborhood. Throughout his career, he has spoken of the importance of working as a team, supporting those you work with, and focusing on customers.

Prior to joining Home Depot in 1997, Menear worked with numerous large retailers, including IKEA, Builders Emporium, Grace Home Centers, and Montgomery Ward, as well as owning and operating an independent retail business. Menear will share his insights on how to get where you want to be through hard work, and calculated risk-taking.

Menear has held many leadership roles at Home Depot and has given back to the Broad College of Business throughout his career. A $500,000 gift to the Business Pavilion will name an undergraduate student space as the Craig A. & Dawn G. Menear Student Lounge.

During the discussion, Menear and Gupta plan to discuss topics corporate culture and values, customer diversity, hurricane season and the role Home Depot plays, and the retail industry covering changes, competition and the future.