James T. Ryan was named Chief Operating Officer and appointed to the Board of Directors in February 2007. He was named President of Grainger in 2006. As President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Ryan is responsible for setting the strategic direction and driving profitable growth for the company's operations, including Grainger's Branch-based business, Lab Safety, Acklands-Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Prior to these roles, Mr. Ryan was Group President and was responsible for the company's businesses operating under the Grainger brand in the United States.

Mr. Ryan has served Grainger in increasingly responsible roles since 1980 including Executive Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service where he was responsible for driving growth and providing industry-leading service across all of the Grainger branded business channels, including its Web site. He also has held various positions in product management and has served as President, Grainger Parts. As Vice President, Information Services, Mr. Ryan oversaw the implementation of the single largest SAP system worldwide and achieved corporate Y2K compliance.

Mr. Ryan graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1980 with a bachelor of science degree in business. He also earned a master's degree, with distinction, in business administration with a concentration in marketing from DePaul University in Chicago.

In 1999, he was awarded the Distinguished MBA Alumni Award by DePaul University and, more recently, Illinois Institute of Technology recognized him as the 2006 Outstanding Leader in Industry. Mr. Ryan also serves on the Commercial Industry Team, an advisory board for the Department of Defense. He is also a Trustee of the Museum of Science and Industry and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.