# Hal Lawton

> Hal Lawton is the Tennessee-born president and CEO of Tractor Supply Company, a role he has held since January 2020. A chemical engineering and paper science graduate of NC State with a UVA MBA, he moved from manufacturing and McKinsey into leadership roles at Home Depot, eBay and Macy’s. His public leadership philosophy centers on serving frontline employees, connecting digital tools to stores and learning from mentors.

- **Role:** President & CEO at Tractor Supply Company
- **Organizations:** Tractor Supply Company, Wayfair, National Retail Federation, Business Roundtable, NC State Board of Visitors, Macy’s (former), eBay (former), The Home Depot (former), McKinsey & Company (former), Sealed Air (former director), Buffalo Wild Wings (former director)
- **From:** Kingsport, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Dual bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Pulp and Paper Science Technology, North Carolina State University, MBA, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
- **Known for:** Helped build Home Depot’s internet business to nearly $2 billion in sales, as reported by NC State in 2021., Introduced Tractor Supply’s Life Out Here growth strategy., NC State’s November 2024 alumni profile reported a 70% increase in Tractor Supply net sales under his leadership to that point.

## Career timeline

- **1996** — Graduated from NC State; began his career in a rural North Carolina paper mill.
- **2000** — Earned his Darden MBA and joined McKinsey & Company, later becoming an associate principal.
- **2005-2015** — Held Home Depot leadership roles, including leadership of its online business and senior vice president of merchandising.
- **2015-2017** — Senior vice president, eBay North America.
- **2017-2019** — President of Macy’s, September 2017 to December 2019.
- **2020-01** — Became president and CEO of Tractor Supply and a company director; first day January 13.
- **2023** — Joined NC State’s Board of Visitors.
- **2024** — Helped endow the Dr. Hasan Jameel and Hal Lawton Distinguished Professorship; named College of Natural Resources Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.
- **2025-11** — Appointed to Wayfair’s board of directors.
- **2026-02** — Ended service as a Sealed Air director, according to his current corporate biography.

## Achievements

- Helped build Home Depot’s internet business to nearly $2 billion in sales, as reported by NC State in 2021.
- Introduced Tractor Supply’s Life Out Here growth strategy.
- NC State’s November 2024 alumni profile reported a 70% increase in Tractor Supply net sales under his leadership to that point.
- Named NC State College of Natural Resources Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2024.
- Co-endowed a professorship honoring NC State mentor Hasan Jameel in 2024.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Tractor Supply opened its 11th distribution center in Nampa, Idaho, a more than $200 million investment intended to support its growing store network.
- **2026-07** — Tractor Supply reported Q2 sales of $4.54 billion, up 2.3%, with comparable store sales down 1.5%, and lowered its full-year outlook.
- **2026-02** — Lawton’s service on the Sealed Air board ended, according to Tractor Supply’s current biography.
- **2025-11** — Appointed to Wayfair’s board of directors.

## Links

- Website: https://corporate.tractorsupply.com/company-overview/leadership/hal-lawton/default.aspx
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hallawton
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/hallawton

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/hal-lawton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21