On Oct. 3, Linden, New Jersey-based electrical distributor Turtle announced that Executive Chairman of the Board Jayne Millard and Electrical Division President Luis Valls will become co-CEOs, effective Nov. 1.

Millard and Kathleen Shanahan were co-CEOs from 2018-2020, and Shanahan has served as the sole CEO since then. Shanahan will continue at Turtle in an executive advisory role, Millard said in an email announcing the transition.

“Kathleen’s unwavering dedication and remarkable leadership have left an indelible mark on Turtle since she joined our board in 2016,” Millard said. “This transition results from a multi-year succession management plan involving the Board of Directors, Kathleen and Luis.”

Millard and Valls are expected to jointly oversee the day-to-day operations of Turtle and its operating divisions. Valls has served as Divisional President of the Electrical Division since 2018.

“Together, we will lead Turtle into an era defined by our shared values of trust, customer success, innovation, and equality,” Millard added. “Turtle has always been an organization unafraid to explore novel ways of thinking and to pursue innovative models. Ultimately, our collective aspiration remains unwavering: to deliver unparalleled value to our customers.”

Turtle ranks No. 17 among electrical distributors on MDM’s 2023 Top Distributors Lists.

To learn more, listen to this December 2022 MDM Podcast episode featuring Shanahan, who discussed her unique path to becoming Turtle CEO.