Kathleen Mazzarella
Kathy Mazzarella | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kathleen Mazzarella |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | CEO and Chairman of Graybar Electric Co. |
Kathleen "Kathy" Mazzarella has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Graybar Electric Co. since June 1, 2012, and assumed the role of Chairman beginning January 1, 2013. As of May 2020, she ranks among just 37 female CEOs within the Fortune 500.
Beginning her career at Graybar in 1980 as a customer service representative, Mazzarella progressed through various sales and leadership positions, including National Product Manager and other senior executive roles. Prior to her elevation to president, CEO, and subsequently chairman, she held the titles of executive vice president and chief operating officer starting in 2010.
Education
Mazzarella earned an associate's degree in telecommunications engineering, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Behavioral Sciences. She completed a Master's degree in business at Webster University in 2002.
Board memberships
In January 2015, Mazzarella was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis as a Class C Director, advancing to deputy chair in January 2016 and then chair in April 2016. She joined the Board of Waste Management on October 1, 2015. In June 2017, she became a member of the Express Scripts Board, transitioning to Cigna Corporation’s board following their December 2018 merger. Additionally, she was elected to Core & Main LP’s board in 2019.
Her board involvement extends to organizations such as Alliance STL, the Saint Louis Club, and Webster University’s Business and Technology Advisory Board. Since July 2016, she has been an active participant in The Business Council. Mazzarella is also affiliated with Vistage Worldwide, Inc., the International Women's Forum, The Committee of 200, The American Cancer Society's CEOs Against Cancer of Missouri, and Civic Progress.
Awards and recognition
Mazzarella’s leadership in business and community service has garnered numerous accolades. She was recognized among St. Louis’s “40 Under 40” in 2000 and named one of the “Most Influential Businesswomen in St. Louis” in 2004. Her expertise on human resources strategy was highlighted in Inside the Minds, a publication featuring leading HR executives across the United States. In 2010, Profiles in Diversity Journal listed her among “Women Worth Watching.” She initiated a women’s networking group at Graybar and has been a strong advocate for advancing women’s careers within wholesale distribution.
In 2011, Webster University’s George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology honored her with the Outstanding Alumna Award. The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis recognized her as a distinguished woman leader in 2014. She received the Women in Industry Trailblazer Award from the National Association of Electrical Distributors in 2015 and was named a Leader of Distinction by the YWCA of Metro St. Louis that same year. In 2019, Mazzarella was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.