MRO distribution giant Grainger (NYSE: GWW), Chicago, on Thursday announced that Robert O’Keef, vice president and treasurer, has been appointed interim CFO, effective Jan. 1, 2021, following Tom Okray’s decision to step down as senior vice president and CFO to pursue another opportunity at a publicly traded company. Okray will continue in his current role until Dec. 31.

O’Keef has been with Grainger since 2018 and brings nearly 30 years of financial and executive experience to his new role.

“We are pleased that Rob has agreed to serve as CFO on an interim basis,” said DG Macpherson, Grainger’s chairman and CEO. “Rob is a seasoned executive with a deep knowledge of Grainger’s business and strong financial acumen. He led the efforts to reposition and optimize Grainger’s capital structure and ensured the company could maintain strong liquidity throughout the pandemic. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Rob and the world-class finance team we have at Grainger, and I’m confident this will be a smooth transition as we work to name a successor as soon as possible.”