Robert Posthauer

President, Home and Commercial Solutions – Commercial Newell Brands

Last Reviewed: October 1, 2026

Executive Summary

Robert “Rob” Posthauer runs the commercial side of Newell Brands, the consumer goods company behind Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco and Coleman. Since August 2025 he has been President of the Commercial business in its Home and Commercial Solutions segment. That covers Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Quickie, Mapa Professional and Spontex, and the company’s business-to-business capabilities across all its brands. His career has been spent on both sides of the retail shelf. He sold appliances to big-box retailers for Maytag and GE, then bought products as head of global merchandising at Lowe’s, and now sells cleaning and facilities products to businesses.

Career Highlights

• President, Home and Commercial Solutions – Commercial at Newell Brands since August 2025, and one of its executive officers.
• Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rubbermaid Commercial Products from May 2021 to August 2025.
• Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising at Lowe’s from September 2017 to December 2020, overseeing private brands, product development, quality and global sourcing.
• Thirteen years at GE Appliances, from 2004 to 2017, ending as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
• Received Grainger’s 2024 Executive Contact and Vendor of the Year Award.
• Member of the ISSA board of directors for the 2026 to 2028 term.

Professional Journey

Posthauer earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance at Purdue University. He began his career at Maytag Appliances, moving through roles as district representative, district manager, national account manager, key account manager and market manager.

He joined GE Appliances in 2004 and worked as an area sales manager, national account manager, senior merchandising specialist and marketing manager for cooking products. He then spent three years as general manager of Home Depot sales and marketing. In that period his team won The Home Depot’s 2012 Vendor of the Year award in the Décor category. In October 2013 GE named him General Manager of Sales, leading all sales across retail and contract channels and parts, and reporting to President and CEO Chip Blankenship. He finished his GE career as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

In September 2017 he crossed to the retailer’s side as Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising at Lowe’s Companies. There he oversaw private brands, product development, quality and global sourcing until December 2020.

Newell Brands hired him in May 2021 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rubbermaid Commercial Products. Grainger gave him its 2024 Executive Contact and Vendor of the Year Award. In August 2025 Newell promoted him to President of the Commercial business within Home and Commercial Solutions, one of its three operating segments, and he became an executive officer. The role adds Rubbermaid organisation products, Quickie, Mapa Professional and Spontex, and leadership of the company’s business-to-business capabilities across the enterprise. Newell sells in more than 150 countries.

He also serves on the board of ISSA, the cleaning industry association, for the 2026 to 2028 term.

Education

Purdue University

Bachelor of Science, Business Management and Finance