Why This Matters to Distributors: Industrial distributors are increasingly separating new business development from account management as they compete for organic growth, larger strategic accounts, and deeper service relationships in the MRO market.
Stellar Industrial Supply has reorganized its commercial operations and promoted Michael Skramstad as the company intensifies its focus on organic growth and customer acquisition.
Skramstad, previously vice president of supply chain solutions, was named senior vice president of customer acquisition and business development under a new organizational structure announced Wednesday.
The restructuring separates new customer acquisition and business development activities from traditional sales and account management responsibilities, a move the company said will allow greater specialization across commercial functions.
Under the new structure, inside sales, business development and strategic account roles will move from Stellar’s existing commercial organization into the newly formed customer acquisition and business development group led by Skramstad.
Colin Brown will continue overseeing regional vice presidents of sales, account relationship managers and specialists focused on managing and expanding existing customer relationships.
CEO John Wiborg said the company sees additional opportunities to accelerate organic growth by creating separate teams focused on new customer development and existing account expansion.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for us to grow faster organically,” Wiborg said in a statement. “With this new structure, we can put better focus on driving value to existing partners, and we can also focus on more rapid expansion into the markets we serve.”
Brown said Skramstad’s experience and leadership position him well to lead the expanded business development organization.
“Michael’s leadership, experience, and commitment to the organization will continue to be a tremendous asset to our team and company,” Brown said in a statement.
The move reflects broader changes across industrial distribution as companies invest more heavily in specialized sales organizations, strategic account programs, and supply chain services to win larger manufacturing, aerospace, marine and construction customers.
Founded in Tacoma, Washington, Stellar Industrial Supply operates 17 regional hubs supporting customers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
The company distributes more than 90,000 maintenance, repair, and operations products from more than 1,500 brands across categories including safety, metalworking, marine supply, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing.
Stellar also has expanded its focus on indirect materials management and documented cost-savings programs as distributors increasingly compete on operational support, inventory management, and plant efficiency rather than product pricing alone.
The company said its documented cost savings program has generated more than $251 million in verified customer savings since 2010, including $34 million in 2025.
Stellar Industrial Supply is a member of Affiliated Distributors and the Industrial Supply Association.
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