ELEVEN DIRECTORS SLATED FOR GRAINGER'S BOARD TO BE VOTED ON AT THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL MEETING ON APRIL 24, 2013
CHICAGO, February 20, 2013 - The Board of Directors of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW) today selected a slate of nominees to serve for the 2013 - 2014 period. The eleven candidates, all current board members, to be voted on at the annual meeting are:
| Brian P. Anderson |
| V. Ann Hailey |
| William K. Hall |
| Stuart L. Levenick |
| John W. McCarter, Jr. |
| Neil S. Novich |
| Michael J. Roberts |
| Gary L. Rogers |
| James T. Ryan |
| E. Scott Santi |
| James D. Slavik |
Wilbur H. Gantz will not stand for re-election. Mr. Gantz has been a board member of Grainger since 1985 and served as a member of the Audit Committee and the Board Affairs and Nominating Committee.
Grainger Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Ryan said, “On behalf of The Board of Directors, I would like to thank Bill Gantz for his dedication, insight and valuable contributions to Grainger over the past 28 years.”
W.W. Grainger, Inc. with 2012 sales of $9 billion is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with expanding global operations. For more information about the company, visit www.grainger.com/investor.
Contacts:
| Media: | Investors: | ||
| Grainger Media Relations Hotline | Laura Brown | ||
| 847-535-5678 | Senior Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations | ||
| O: 847-535-0409 | |||
| M: 847-804-1383 | |||
| Joseph Micucci | William Chapman | ||
| Director, Media Relations | Senior Director, Investor Relations | ||
| O: 847-535-0879 | O: 847-535-0881 | ||
| M: 847-830-5328 | M: 847-456-8647 | ||