L&W Supply, a unit of ABC Supply, promoted Jake Gress to the newly created position of vice president of operations. In the role, Gress will be responsible for L&W Supply’s operations function, including safety, compliance, fleet, and real estate, along with the marketing, merchandising, and training teams.

“L&W Supply has a lot of exciting projects coming up. In my new role, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with associates from across the company to drive L&W Supply to even greater heights,” Gress said in a news release.

Gress has worked in the industry for 17 years, including the past decade with L&W Supply. The new vice president of operations most recently served as the regional vice president for the west. Since L&W was acquired by ABC Supply in 2016, Gress has developed a strong team in the west region and helped drive success, according to the company. L&W Supply said Gress’ ability to generate growth, optimize customer and vendor relationships, and understand the complexities of the business will serve him well in his new role as vice president of operations.

“Jake has always been an innovative leader with a deep commitment to continuous improvement,” Dan Piché, president of L&W Supply, said. “With him in this new position, L&W Supply will benefit from his ability to build and lead successful teams.”

Chicago-based L&W Supply is a specialty distributor of wallboard, steel studs, ceiling systems, and other interior products. The distributor operates 175 branch locations in 35 states across the United States.