After 14 years at The Home Depot, Ted Decker was named EVP of Merchandising in 2014. Now settled into his new role, Ted sat down with us to tell us a little about his background and discuss his vision for continuing to bring innovative products to market at a great value for our customers.
What excites you most about your new role?
I get to directly help drive sales and lead a team committed to keeping our merchandising momentum going. It’s a chance to continue to give the stores great products at great values. If we offer great value for our customers, we’ll create value for our associates, our shareholders and our supplier partners. It’s a win-win-win-win formula.
Also, I’m a very curious person. I’m intrigued by all the business models and ingenuity out there. I love engaging with the merchants and vendors, meeting people from different industries and seeing how they try to create value in their businesses. But, we all have one thing in common — we want to keep the customer front and center to make sure we are satisfying their needs.
How does The Home Depot merchandising team make the company a leader in the marketplace?
We are the best at understanding our product, and we’re certainly the most passionate — about our business, about the vendors we work with and about the customers we ultimately sell to. That combination of deep knowledge, advocacy for the customer and passion tied to our culture is the secret of the orange apron. Where else does that combination exist? In our culture, it’s all about the customer.
Are you a DIYer?
I definitely enjoy gardening and landscaping. I started mowing the lawn when I was 8-years-old and managed landscaping and gardening crews for homes and commercial properties while I was in high school. I still plant flower beds and shrubs every year.
What’s your favorite Home Depot memory?
I’ve always enjoyed my team’s annual Team Depot event when we do a big home renovation project with veteran and housing organizations. We’d have more than 200 associates pouring out of buses to help people in need. Those days were truly my favorite. I’m looking forward to new merchandising milestones and community service opportunities as I continue in my new role.
