California industrial and safety product distributor R.S. Hughes announced Monday that its CEO would retire in the coming weeks and be succeeded by the company’s chief revenue officer.
Bill Matthews will retire May 1 after four years as chairman and CEO and 18 total years at Hughes. The company’s board unanimously voted to promote John Mathis from CRO to company president effective April 1; he will assume “full operational and strategic leadership of R.S. Hughes” and report directly to the board.
Hughes officials said the transition would usher in “a sharper focus on strategic growth, customer-driven innovation and operational excellence.”
“John not only understands the changing needs of our customer base but also how to build on our great culture to serve those needs,” board member Dave Schroeder said in a statement. “We’re confident he’ll bring his positive energy and passion for our customers to his new role, driving continued, profitable growth while making R.S. Hughes a great place to work.”
Schroeder noted that Matthews became CEO during “a difficult time for the company” and quickly moved to position the company for continued growth.
“His deep industry experience and unique perspective have positively impacted the company over the years,” Schroeder said.
R.S. Hughes, which operates branches across the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica, ranked at no. 30 on ID’s 2024 Big 50.
