After nearly 20 years with the company, Manny Perez de la Mesa will retire from his position as CEO of POOLCORP at the end of the year. The board of directors has appointed Peter Arvan, the company's current executive vice president and COO, to take over as the new CEO. While he is stepping down from his role, Perez de la Mesa will remain with POOLCORP as vice chairman of the board of directors.
"The Board, working closely with Manny, has developed and executed a comprehensive succession plan and, as a result, we are confident Pete Arvan is the right person to lead POOLCORP," says John E. Stokely, the company's chairman of the board. "He understands the keys to our success, has a clear vision of what we can accomplish and will continue to deliver meaningful value to our shareholders. I want to thank Manny for the remarkable job he has done in leading the company. We are pleased that he will continue to play a significant role as a member of the board, as vice chairman and as a shareholder."
"I am proud of all of the accomplishments we have achieved over the past 20 years, and I am grateful for the effort and commitment of our people, the partnership with our suppliers and the support of our shareholders," Perez de la Mesa says. "I am excited to see Pete succeed me as CEO. Over the last 19 months, I have worked closely with Pete on company strategy, business operations and corporate culture. I am confident that with his leadership skills, along with a deep and seasoned executive team, POOLCORP will continue to deliver outstanding results. On a personal note, I am looking forward to continuing to make positive contributions to the company as a member of its board."
Arvan joined the company in January 2017 as executive vice president, with primary responsibility for North American operations. He was promoted to COO in August 2017. Prior to joining POOLCORP, Pete was CEO of Roofing Supply Group, one of the largest roofing distributors in the U.S., with 85 locations in 24 states. Prior to joining RSG, Pete served as president of SABIC Polymershapes (formerly GE Plastics-Polymershapes). From 1988 to 2004, he worked at GE Supply where he held a variety of management positions.
"I am honored to be appointed CEO of POOLCORP," Arvan says. "I am looking forward to advancing the company's strategies. I am particularly excited to be working with the thousands of dedicated employees that are the strength of our business. Together, we will continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers, suppliers and shareholders."
