Marvin Ellison

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lowe’s

Last Reviewed: October 3, 2026

Executive Summary

Marvin Ellison has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Lowe’s since July 2018 and Chairman since May 2021. He came to the home improvement retailer from J.C. Penney, where he had been president, then chief executive and finally chairman and chief executive. Before that he spent 12 years in senior operations roles at The Home Depot, the last six as executive vice president of U.S. stores, overseeing sales, operations, installation services, tool rental and Pro initiatives, after 15 years in operations at Target. He is a director of FedEx and a trustee of the University of Memphis, his alma mater. He has worked in store operations at Target, The Home Depot and J.C. Penney before leading Lowe’s.

Career Highlights

• Chief Executive Officer of Lowe’s since July 2018; Chairman since May 2021.
• Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of J.C. Penney, 2016 to 2018, after serving as its president and then chief executive.
• Executive Vice President, U.S. Stores, at The Home Depot, 2008 to 2014.
• 15 years in operational and leadership roles at Target.
• Director of FedEx Corporation and trustee of the University of Memphis.

Professional Journey

Ellison earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Memphis and an MBA from Emory University, according to Lowe’s. He spent 15 years at Target in a variety of operational and leadership roles.

He then spent 12 years in senior operations roles at The Home Depot. From 2008 to 2014 he was executive vice president of U.S. stores, overseeing U.S. sales, operations, installation services, tool rental and Pro strategic initiatives, according to Lowe’s proxy.

In 2014 he joined J.C. Penney as president, becoming chief executive in 2015 and chairman and chief executive in 2016, a role he held until May 2018. In July 2018 he became president and chief executive of Lowe’s, and in May 2021 he was also named chairman. As of 30 January 2026 Lowe’s operated 1,759 home improvement stores and outlets in the U.S. and more than 540 branch locations in the U.S. and Canada, including those of Foundation Building Materials and Artisan Design Group, which it acquired in 2025, according to its 10-K.

Lowe’s 10-K describes its Total Home strategy, updated in December 2024, as resting on five pillars: driving Pro penetration, accelerating online sales, expanding home services, creating a loyalty ecosystem and increasing space productivity. Lowe’s biography lists his recognition on Barron’s list of top CEOs and Fortune’s lists of most inspirational CEOs and world’s greatest leaders, an award from the National Retail Federation in 2023 and the McGowan Fund Ethical Leader of the Year Award in 2024.

Outside Lowe’s he serves on the board of FedEx Corporation and on the board of trustees of the University of Memphis, according to his company biography.

Education

Emory University

MBA

The University of Memphis

Bachelor’s degree, Business administration