CHICAGO — The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) proudly honored The Home Depot as the 2023 Illinois Retailer of the Year during the group’s 66th Annual Meeting held Tuesday at the Palmer House Hilton.
As the largest home improvement retailer in the world, The Home Depot has more than 2,300 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico including nearly 100 Illinois locations that employ over 15,000 associates. The company spends $5 billion a year on suppliers throughout the state. In addition to The Home Depot’s large economic impact, the company is a generous community supporter, dedicated to improving the lives of veterans, supporting those impacted by natural disasters, and training skilled tradespeople to fill workforce shortages. This includes a $160,000 grant through The Home Depot Foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Home Depot, to Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity in 2022 to help low-income families achieve the safety and stability of homeownership.
“The Home Depot exemplifies the core values of Illinois retail: supporting our communities, enhancing the labor market and boosting economic prosperity for all. The Home Depot Foundation has committed over half a billion dollars to support the most vulnerable among us. These philanthropic activities showcase the transformative nature of our industry,” said Rob Karr, President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “On behalf of retailers across Illinois, we take pride in presenting The Home Depot with this award and thank them for their unwavering commitment to bettering Illinois communities.”
The Home Depot Foundation has channeled over $475 million into initiatives benefiting veterans and improved more than 55,000 veteran homes and facilities since 2011. With a focus on affordable and accessible housing solutions, The Home Depot Foundation provides veterans with the new construction and rehabilitation of permanent housing and critical home repairs. The Foundation is committed to investing $500 million in veteran causes by 2025.
The Home Depot has supported communities in need across Illinois, addressing natural disaster preparedness, short-term response and long-term recovery. The Foundation and Team Depot—The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force—join nonprofit partners to deploy relief supplies in the immediate wake of storms. In 2023, The Home Depot Foundation has already pledged over $6 million to support disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts in communities affected by natural disasters.
The Home Depot Foundation’s Path to Pro program works to address labor gaps and diversify the trades industry by offering free education, hands-on training and certifications for youth, separating military service members and underserved communities. The Foundation has committed $50 million to foster the development of the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program.
Tony Lemma, Regional Vice President for The Home Depot, was presented with the award during IRMA’s Annual Meeting, which brings together hundreds of retail leaders, advocates, and public officials to recognize the industry’s importance in Illinois and celebrate accomplishments. IRMA has bestowed the Retailer of the Year Award since 1978 to recognize excellence and exemplary achievement in the retail industry.
“On behalf of The Home Depot and over 15,000 Illinois associates, we are deeply honored to accept the ‘Illinois Retailer of the Year’ award for 2023,” said Lemma. “This honor is dedicated to every member of The Home Depot team whose hard work made this award possible.”
About the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA)
One of the largest state retail organizations in the United States, IRMA serves as the voice of retailing and the business community in state government. Founded in 1957, IRMA represents more than 23,000 stores of all sizes and merchandise lines. From the nation’s largest retailers to independent businesses in every corner of the state, merchants count on IRMA to fight for the best possible environment in which to do business in Illinois.
About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. At the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, the Company operated a total of 2,326 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, and Mexico. The Company employs over 470,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones Industrial average and Standard and Poor’s 500 index.
About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Home Depot (NYSE: HD), works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, support communities impacted by natural disasters and train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $475 million in veteran causes and improved more than 55,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest half of a billion dollars in veteran causes by 2025 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation visit HomeDepotFoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @HomeDepotFound and on Facebook and Instagram @HomeDepotFoundation.