MSC Industrial Supply announced Thursday that CEO Erik Gershwind will retire at the end of the year and be succeeded Jan. 1 by President and COO Martina McIsaac.
Gershwind, the grandson of MSC founder Sid Jacobson, became the company's chief executive in 2013. He will remain with the company as non-executive vice chair of the board of directors; Mitchell Jacobson, MSC’s former CEO, and Gershwind’s uncle, will continue in his role as non-executive chairman.
McIsaac, who joined MSC as executive vice president and COO in 2022, was promoted to president and COO just over a year ago and took over responsibility for the company’s day-to-day operations. She will retain the president title as she transitions to CEO.
"Reflecting on nearly 30 years with MSC and 13 years as CEO, I am proud of what our team has accomplished,” Gershwind said in the announcement. “The culture we have molded and the strategies we have implemented set the company up for great success moving forward.”
“Over the past three years, I've had the privilege of working alongside an exceptional team of associates that deliver for our customers day in and day out,” said McIsaac. “I am energized by the opportunities ahead to accelerate growth, build on our strong foundation, and fulfill our mission to be the best industrial distributor for our associates, customers, suppliers and shareholders."
“We are excited for Martina to serve as MSC's next leader,” added Jacobson. “The board has worked closely with her over the past three years and has tremendous confidence in her. She has demonstrated a track record of operational execution and has built strong relationships with our customers, suppliers and all stakeholders.”
The announcement coincided with the release of MSC’s fiscal fourth quarter and full-year results, which showed an increase in sales in the latest three-month window but an annual drop compared to fiscal 2024. The company ranked no. 9 on ID’s 2025 Big 50 list.
