Nationwide Executive Search Fuels US Building Growth | Index Search

Summary

A national HVAC and plumbing distributor with more than $2.5B in revenue needed to scale quickly after a major acquisition and during post-acquisition integration. The company faced uneven branch performance, limited leadership depth, and rising pressure to strengthen operations and improve multi-site operational performance across the country.

Index Search partnered with the organization using a nationwide executive search and nationwide hiring strategy to build a leadership foundation that supported accelerated growth. By focusing on Presidents, Regional VPs, Branch Managers, and supply chain leaders, and by targeting supply chain leadership hiring, our team delivered more than 90 high-impact hires who improved performance, strengthened operations, and expanded market coverage while supporting post-acquisition growth and leadership.

Impact at a Glance

• 90+ leadership and commercial hires across the U.S.
• Faster regional growth and stronger branch performance
• Improved supply chain leadership across multiple markets
• Expanded market penetration with better national coverage

About the Client

A national building products distributor serving HVAC and plumbing markets, with deep roots in HVAC and building products distribution. The company operates across the U.S. and generates more than $2.5B in annual revenue. Following a major acquisition, leadership needed a talent strategy that would support rapid expansion and stabilize regional operations.

The Challenge: Expanding Faster Than Leadership Capacity

The acquisition created sudden growth that outpaced the company's leadership infrastructure in a post-acquisition growth and leadership environment. Regional and branch operations needed stronger oversight, deeper experience, and leaders who could improve performance in fast-moving markets.

Key challenges included:

• Limited leadership capacity to support national expansion
• Pressure to improve operational consistency across branches
• Rising expectations for regional performance
• Internal recruiting bandwidth stretched thin
• Need for leaders with HVAC, plumbing, or distribution expertise

Scaling the business required a strategic talent partner who understood the industry and could move quickly.

The Index Search Solution: A Nationwide Strategy for Leadership Expansion

We developed a nationwide hiring strategy and executive search designed to expand leadership depth and strengthen branch operations across the country.

Our approach focused on:

• Identifying Presidents, Regional VPs, Branch Managers, and supply chain executives
• Targeting leaders with proven experience in multi-site distribution environments
• Aligning each search with the company's 90 and 180 day growth priorities
• Building pipelines to accelerate hiring cycles and drive consistent delivery
• Presenting highly aligned shortlists to reduce interview cycles and speed decision-making
• Leveraging manufacturing executive search expertise to support manufacturing and distribution hiring when roles required adjacent experience
• Prioritizing candidates with industrial operations and leadership backgrounds

This strategy supported multiple regions at once, giving the organization the leadership coverage needed to improve operational execution and fuel ongoing expansion.

The Results: The Leadership Foundation for Nationwide Growth

The partnership delivered the leadership foundation required for post-acquisition growth and leadership, national expansion, and performance improvement.

Leadership Depth

More than 90 executives and commercial hires across key markets strengthened oversight, improved consistency, and elevated operational performance.

Accelerated Regional Growth

New leaders improved branch execution, increased accountability, and created stronger alignment across markets.

Stronger Supply Chain Leadership

Improved leadership coverage led to better distribution efficiency and more reliable service levels.

Expanded Market Penetration

With the right teams in place, the organization scaled into new and existing markets with greater confidence and stability.

Ready to Strengthen Your Leadership Bench?

If your organization is expanding, integrating after an acquisition, or preparing for growth, Index Search can help you build the talent foundation that drives performance and operational stability.

Let’s talk about your goals.