Ron Beal, president and CEO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Orgill, presented his views on hardware distribution during the President's Council meeting in Las Vegas. Here are the highlights.

"I've been at this a long time. One of the things that always impressed me is how simple distribution is to conceptualize, but how complex and how difficult it can be to actually execute. … It's pretty easy to understand why companies are not exactly standing in line to get in the business of distributing hardware products."

For the past several years, whenever Tractor Supply's CEO Jim Wright spoke about his company's earnings, he usually described a strong performance in a challenging environment — a 1,000-plus-store little engine that could.

Last month, his replacement, Greg Sandfort, picked up where Wright left off, pointing to a 10.8% fourth-quarter sales increase and a 24% increase in net income. In his first earnings call as CEO, Sandfort ran analysts through the Brentwood, Tenn.-based retailer's challenges and opportunities.

Las Vegas -- Memphis, Tenn.-based distributor Orgill recently signed a distribution agreement with BMC, supplying hardlines to the Boise, Idaho-based pro dealer.

The distribution and services deal was signed late last year, and replaces BMC's similar distribution agreement with True Value Corp. The transition is in its early stages, according to both Orgill and BMC.

Orgill is making its first appearance at the BMC National Meeting and trade show in Las Vegas Jan. 8-11.

Three executives with long tenures retired from Memphis, Tenn.-based Orgill this month: Bill Fondren, Ken Post and Steve East.

Fondren retired as chairman of the board, but he will remain as a board member. Ron Beal will assume the chairman of the board post.

Ken Post was chief merchandise officer, a position to be filled by Brett Hammers. And Steve East was VP advertising. His replacement is Jeff Curler. 

William Fondren, who has served as chairman of Orgill board of directors since January 2005, has announced his retirement effective Dec. 31, 2012.

Fondren spent 24 years as Orgill’s president and CEO, leading the Memphis, Tenn.-based from a regional distributor serving the Midsouth to one of the industry’s largest independent hardlines distributors, with retail customers in all 50 states, throughout Canada and in more than 60 countries around the world.

Among the top 10 companies on the 2012 Home Channel News Industry Scoreboard, none grew faster than Brentwood, Tenn.-based Tractor Supply. The farm-and-ranch lifestyle provider showed a 16.3% sales increase and an overall ranking of seventh on the Top 300 retailer list.

Rural King Supply of Mattoon, Ill., moved up the list from 25th to 22nd. Also moving up the rankings were Atwood Ranch & Home of Enid, Okla., and Bomgaars Supply of Sioux City, Iowa.

On page 134 In the Aug. 13, 1984, issue of National Home Center News, Duncan Building Material Warehouse in New Tazewell, Tenn., is shown in all its rugged glory.

It might not look like much. But the photo is attached to an article in which the store’s owner describes the enterprise as the home center industry’s very first warehouse store. It was opened in 1974, beating Home Depot to the punch by a full five years.

Memphis, Tenn.-based distributor Orgill is a big believer in its model stores and their ability to inspire dealers to roll out new products and planograms. 

At this year’s Fall Market in Las Vegas, Orgill demonstrated four separate store types full of the latest in merchandise adjacenies, signage and retail ideas: Copper Canyon Hardware, Four Corners Hardware & Supply, North Lake Lumber and Frontier Farm & Hardware.