Baker to lead AD US Electrical

AD announced today that Karen Baker, formerly of Horizon Solutions, will be the new President of its US Electrical division.

Baker replaces David Kinsella who left AD earlier this summer and recently joined Hammond Power Solutions as their Chief Commercial Officer.

According to the press release:

“AD Electrical U.S. Division Suppliers,

We are thrilled to share that Karen Baker will be joining the AD team to assume the open position of President, Electrical U.S. Division, reporting directly to me. Her start date is September 6^th.  Karen will also serve on the AD Leadership Team and become an integral part of our ESD U.S. Divisional Board.

Prior to joining AD, Karen was Horizon Solution’s former Chief Operating Officer. She spent most of her career with Horizon and held increasing responsibilities throughout +25 years in the organization. She is an industry veteran with a proven track record of results.

In this position, Karen will be responsible for the growth strategy and performance of AD’s Electrical – U.S. Division. She’ll work closely with AD’s owner members and supplier partners to develop and implement strategies that help our membership compete and win in the market. As an industry veteran in the Electrical space and former AD member, she is well positioned to help AD expand this segment of the business and accelerate growth.

Karen is an exemplary leader and as a former Member, understands our industry and is incredibly passionate about AD and our community. Her member facing experience includes AD Networks and servant leadership and participation on AD boards and committees. She will bring an enthusiastic drive to continue operational success, growth, and innovation in the Electrical U.S. Division. Her deep industry experience, knowledge of market dynamics, and rich background in independent distribution, will be a tremendous asset to our team. In addition, her affinity for strategy, and passion for AD’s mission make her an ideal fit for the position.

Lastly, I would like to thank the ESD U.S. Divisional Board for their contributions throughout the search and interview process. The Board’s engagement provided invaluable insights and helped us ensure we selected the right candidate that can support our mission.

As always, please reach out with questions. I look forward to meeting you and introducing Karen at our upcoming North American Meeting in September.

Marisol Fernandez

President, Electrical & Industrial Business Unit”

According to Baker’s LinkedIn profile, she retired from Horizon Solutions in March 2020 as their Chief Operating Officer. She spent almost 25 years with the company, starting as a branch manager and then progressing to management roles.

She was not a member of Horizon at the time of its recent sale to Rexel.

Congratulations to Karen on the new opportunity