Beacon Roofing Supply appointed Philip Knisely as chairman of the board, succeeding Robert Buck. Buck retired as chairman of the board but will continue with Beacon as a director.
Knisely has been a Beacon director since October 2015 and currently is an operating partner at private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. The new chairman of the board is also chairman of CD&R Hydra Holdings, a privately-held power distribution company and is a former chairman of Roofing Supply Group, which Beacon acquired in 2015. Prior to his current roles, Knisely spent a decade as executive vice president and corporate officer of Danaher Corporation, where he was responsible for businesses totaling more than $4 billion in sales. Knisely also cofounded Colfax Corporation, a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of fluid handling products, and served as president and CEO at the company.
“Bob’s strategic vision, leadership and business acumen have been the driving force behind Beacon’s tremendous growth during his stewardship of the company,” Knisely said in a public statement. “More important, however, are Bob’s integrity, character, and personal values, which engender deep employee loyalty as well as unmatched respect from investors, analysts, suppliers, and customers, all of which have shaped Beacon’s great reputation and enabled Beacon to lead the consolidation of our industry. I am honored to follow in his footsteps, and we are grateful for his continuing commitment to Beacon by remaining a member of our board of directors.”
Buck joined Beacon as president and CEO and a director in October 2003 and has been chairman of the board since 2007. Under Buck’s leadership, Beacon has grown from a regional distributor with $550 million in revenue in 2003 to a national building products distributor with more than 500 locations and over $7 billion in revenue. The company ranked third on the 2019 ProSales 100 list. Buck led Beacon through its initial public offering in 2004 and oversaw 46 acquisitions, including the multibillion dollar acquisitions of Roofing Supply Group and Allied Building Products.
“It has been a distinct pleasure and a wonderful privilege to serve the employees and the shareholders of Beacon,” Buck said. “The years have passed so quickly. However, I clearly see a very bright future full of opportunities and growth, and Phil is the perfect chairman to lead the way forward. I know him very well, look forward to working with him this year, and continuing to cheer enthusiastically for him and everyone at Beacon.”
Herndon, Va.-based Beacon distributes roofing materials and complementary building products. The company recently rebranded its 40 brands across the United States and Canada.
