2011 ANNUAL REPORT

2011
ANNUAL REPORT
The Home Depot
Political Action Committee
1155 F Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004
For more information:
Phone: 202.393.4400 | Fax: 202.393.4414
Email: [email protected]
www.homedepotPAC.com
Contributions to The Home Depot PAC are not tax deductible. Contributions are voluntary and will be used
for political purposes. You have the right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal.
Photos on front cover: Top Left Photo: Former Home Depot associate, Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH), poses with SM Dave Dardas and
DM Gene Kelly during his visit to Store 3401 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Top Middle Photo: Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) cuts a
key during her "Day in the Life of a Home Depot Associate" at Store 0632 in San Mateo, California. Top Right Photo: Senator Mark Begich (D-AK)
receives a tour of Store 1301 in Anchorage, Alaska from SM Jason DeJardin. Bottom Right Photo: US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) is
presented with his own Orange Apron by CEO Frank Blake and VP of Government Relations Kent Knutson, during his visit to the SSC.
Mission Statement
The Home Depot
Political Action
Committee
supports candidates
who advocate
policies that
promote a
– David Fogg, Operations Manager,
Store 639 in Colma, California who hosted
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma
Top Left Photo: The Orange Apron presented to Congressman Cory Gardner (R-CO) during his visit to Store 1521 in Longmont,
Colorado. Top Middle Photo: Congressman Cory Gardner (R-CO) gets a tour from ASM Chanel Kesler and other associates at
Store 1521 in Longmont, Colorado. Top Right Photo: Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) learns about DeWalt tools from
associates at Store 1114 in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
California General
Assembly Member
Ricardo Lara
(D-CA) is
presented with
a framed
Orange Apron,
commemorating
his visit to
Store 0654
in Commerce,
California.
favorable business
profitability of
“He stated he would love to work
for us here at the Commerce
Home Depot. Thanks again for
the opportunity to showcase
Store 0654…and we ended with
The Home Depot Cheer!!”
The Home Depot.
– Sal Prieto, Store Manager, Store 0654
in Commerce, California who hosted
Assemblyman Ricardo Lara
climate for the
growth and
Top Left Photo: California General Assembly Member Fiona Ma (D-CA) gets a tour of Store 0639
in Colma, California. Top Middle Photo: Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN) gets an Orange Apron
during his visit to Store 0772 in Bellevue, Tennessee. Top Right Photo: Congressman Jon Runyan
(R-NJ) is presented with a The Home Depot PAC-themed Orange Apron by SM Kathryn Caulfield on
his visit to Store 0920 in Toms River, New Jersey. Bottom Left Photo: Congressman Ben Quayle
(R-AZ) hears from associates at Store 0486 in Phoenix, Arizona. Bottom Right Photo:
Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT) receives a tour from associates at Store 4403 in Salt Lake City,
Utah.
Store walks
for public office
“Overall, it was a great
opportunity for Fiona Ma to see
firsthand what our store is not
only doing to help support our
community, but also how our
store is playing an integral part
in creating and offering new and
innovative solutions that not only
benefit the customer, but benefit
the environment as well.”
Left Photo: Congressman Michael Grimm (R-NY) meets with SM Lora Isolano and associates during his tour of Store 6150 in
Staten Island, New York. Middle Photo: Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL) meets with associates at Store 0803 in Huntsville,
Alabama. Right Photo: Congressman Todd Young (R-IN) gets help learning The Home Depot Cheer from Sales Specialist Jake
Stewart, at store 2002 in Clarksville, Indiana.
Congressional Store Walks
Dear PAC Donors,
Make a Difference
“Thank you, it
seemed to go really
well. She was very
involved with the
employees. She
loved the apron
and said she will
hang it in her
office. Thank you
for the opportunity.”
– Jeffery Morris,
Store Manager, Store 6871
in Titusville, Florida who hosted
Congresswoman Sandy Adams
In 2011, store associates hosted a total of 53 Congressional store walks across the
country. Members of Congress from 24 different states and several local elected
officials learned about The Home Depot from the perspective of Store Managers and
their teams. Congressional store walks give elected officials a hands-on feel for how
our business operates, which in turn helps us protect our business when legislation is
written and passed.
1,360,000 dollars raised
1,100,000 dollars disbursed
53,000 grassroots letters sent to elected officials
11,241 politically engaged associates
53 store walks hosted
While donning an Orange Apron, strolling through the store with groups of eager
associates, and participating in high-spirited Home Depot cheers, elected officials have
the opportunity to discuss with their constituents issues that affect the stores every day.
The Home Depot experienced two major legislative victories with the help of our store
walk program and widespread grassroots and government relations efforts. Store
associates discussed the importance of lowering interchange, or swipe, fees that are
charged every time a customer uses a debit or credit card; this summer, Congress voted
to limit those fees. Also, associates asked their officials to level the playing field between
brick-and-mortar and online-only retailers by requiring all retailers to charge the sales
tax that is owed on any purchase. To date, 16 states have acted on e-Fairness.
These are powerful statistics. As you read through this Annual Report, you
should be proud of the imPACt you had on the political process.
My challenge to you in 2012 is simple:
Get involved.
Be heard.
Make a difference.
In addition to helping to protect our business, store walks present associates with an
opportunity to host elected officials who have connections to The Home Depot and who
take their store walk experience a step further. Associates from Store 3401 in
Londonderry, New Hampshire hosted Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH) in July.
Congressman Guinta, a former D25 part-time associate, visited the store 15 years after
working at Store 2670 in Quincy, Massachusetts, while saving money to buy his wife her
engagement ring. He complimented Store Manager Dave Dardas and his team on
upholding the company-wide value of “Putting Customers First,” noting that he learned
that same value over a decade ago. Associates from Store 1301 in Anchorage, Alaska
welcomed Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), who posted about his store experience on
Facebook saying, “Had a great meeting with the folks at the Tudor Home Depot in
Anchorage. I get my best ideas and feedback from the working men and women of our
great state.”
Store walks are fun opportunities for associates and their Store Managers to share
with their elected officials the great work that The Home Depot does for its customers
and communities.
To host a Congressional store walk in your store, contact Sarah Sobecki at [email protected] or 202-393-4454.
Whether you decide to increase your PAC contribution, write a letter to your
Congressman or vote in the 2012 Presidential Election, you can have an
imPACt on both the future of our Company and our country.
Thank you for your continued support of The Home Depot PAC and for using
your OrangeVoice to make a difference. We look forward to working with you
in the year ahead.
Top Photo: Michigan State Representative Lisa
Posthumus Lyons (R-MI) gets a tour of the paint
department during her visit to Store 2270 in
Walker, Michigan. Middle Photo: Congresswoman
Sandy Adams (R-FL) learns about countertop
solutions during her visit to Store 6871 in
Titusville, Florida. Bottom Photo:
Congresswoman Diane Black (R-TN) meets
with the management team at Store 0735 in
Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Kent Knutson
Chair, The Home Depot PAC
Welcome Letter
customers and the
Thank you for supporting The Home Depot Political Action Committee (PAC), as
well as our grassroots and legislative efforts in 2011. With your commitment to
our PAC and to OrangeVoice, we made quite an imPACt in 2011:
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Kent Knutson, Chair
Vice President, Government Relations
Ted Decker, Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Finance
Kelly Barrett, Assistant Treasurer
Vice President, Internal Audit
Supply Chain
Travis Lawrence
Senior Director, HR Supply Chain
Online
Mike Amend
Vice President,
Product Management and
Site Operations
Atlanta Store Support Center
Human Resources
Derek Bottoms
Vice President, Employment Practices
Brant Suddath
Director, Benefits
Legal
Briley Brisendine
Vice President, Legal
Corporate Communications and External Affairs
TBD
Northern Division
Central
Jim Bejna
Regional Director, Human Resources
Northern Plains
Bill Lappin
District Manager
Ohio Valley
Lloyd Jarrell
Director, Talent Management
Southern Division
Southwest
Santiago Bernardez
Regional Vice President
South Atlantic
Haydn Chilcott
Regional Vice President
Mid-South
John Chiasson
Regional Director Operations
Southeast
David Hawkins
Regional Vice President
• Create partnerships between store leadership and local governments to mitigate local day
labor issues.
South Florida
Jeff Beesing
Store Manager
• Enact Hurricane Preparedness and Energy Star Sales Tax Holidays to help our customers
save money and increase sales in our stores.
Don Morris
Director, Information Services
NY Metro
Colleen Gee
District Manager
Pac Mountain Desert
Tim Pfeiffer
Regional Vice President
David Solomon
Austin Tech Center
Manager, Information Services
NJ Metro
TBD
Pac North
Anthony Hurst
Regional Vice President
Merchandising
Marty Gallagher
Vice President, Merchandising
Midwest
Dave Dawber
District Manager
Mid-Atlantic
Vinny Scalese
Regional Vice President
• Support federal and state efforts to deepen the Port of Savannah in Georgia, which would
allow larger container ships to enter the Port, making it quicker and easier to deliver
products to our stores.
• Increase the weight trucks can carry, allowing the products we sell to reach our stores more
efficiently – benefitting both our bottom line and our environment.
New England
Bob Lundy
District Manager
Operations
Chris Duffy
Vice President, Labor Strategy
• Close the decades-old loophole that allows online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, to avoid
collecting sales tax, which puts multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot, at a six to ten
percent pricing disadvantage.
Gulf
Ricky Dezayas
Regional Pro Sales Manager
Western Division
Pacific Northwest
Jeremy Wallis
District Manager
Information Services
Dan Phillips
Vice President, Information Services
• Stop the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from implementing pieces of the Employee
Free Choice Act (EFCA) through rules and regulations.
Pac Central
Jaime Castillo
District Manager
Pac South
Mike Astorino
District Manager
• Increase state and federal penalties for organized retail crime – particularly e-fencing and
copper/metal theft.
• Oppose new container fees and restriction on goods movement and the forced unionization
of truck drivers which would only increase the costs of getting product to our stores.
• Defeat product bans and reduce burdens on our store associates by preventing mandated
product take-back initiatives.
2012 Legislative Initiatives
Marketing
TBD
2012 Legislative Initiatives
“I believe the PAC is
important and that it is
our responsibility to
educate all salaried
managers on the
importance of the
legislative issues that
directly impact our
Company, stores and
associates each day.”
- Jason Culpepper,
Board of Directors
Store Manager, Store 1551
and PAC Captain
Top Left Photo: Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA) and SM Aaron Wyley meet with a customer during Congressman
Meehan’s visit to Store 4114 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Top Right Photo: Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) kicks off
hurricane season with a press conference at Store 6367 in Orlando, Florida. Bottom Left Photo: County Executive Pat
Brennan signs the ceremonial board at the re-opening of Store 1252 in Johnson City, New York, after the store was
closed due to severe damage during Tropical Storms Lee and Irene. Bottom Right Photo: Congressman Randy
Hultrgren (R-IL) learns about the Garden department during his tour of Store 1921 in Geneva, Illinois.
“The Home Depot PAC
has always been
important to me and
the entire Midwest
Region. The PAC is an
easy way to get
involved in the political
process while helping
elect people who will
ensure there is a
business-friendly
environment to run
our stores and operate
our business.”
- Dave Dawber,
District Manager and Director,
The Home Depot PAC Board
Top Left Photo: California State Senator Curren Price (D-CA) puts on his personalized Orange Apron, as he begins
his tour of Store 1061 in Ladera Heights, California. Top Right Photo: Congressman Randy Hultrgren (R-IL) meets
the team on his visit to Store 1921 in Geneva, Illinois. Middle Left Photo: DM Bob Beachy assists Fire Chief Steve
Hrustich in cutting the board to officially re-open Store 1252 in Johnson City, New York, after the store was closed
due to severe damage during Tropical Storms Lee and Irene. Middle Right Photo: Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
learns about hurricane preparedness at Store 6311 in Tampa, Florida. Bottom Left Photo: This Florida-themed
Orange Apron was presented to Congressman Daniel Webster (R-FL) during his visit to Store 6328 in South Chase,
Florida. Bottom Right Photo: California State Senator Ed Hernandez (D-CA) meets with SM Mike Brossin and
associates at Store 8463 in West Covina, California.
Get Involved
PAC Member Benefits
business. I
PAC Members receive the following benefits:
Home Depot PAC
because it is
important we look
out for the best
encourage all
salaried associates
to get involved,
read the updates,
keep up to date
• PAC Apron Pin
• PAC Match
• The Home Depot PAC Newsletter
and Election Updates
• imPACt Alerts — breaking political
news alerts
• Political Updates with Members
of Congress
• Pizza and Politics Events at the
Atlanta Store Support Center (SSC)
communities, and
have a voice in the
PAC Builders, those salaried associates who
give at or above the recommended level, receive
all the benefits outlined above, plus:
• PAC Builder Punchlist – an exclusive
weekly legislative update
• PAC Polo Shirt
political process.”
– Bill Lappin,
If you are not a PAC Builder, and
District Manager and Director,
are interested in increasing your
The Home Depot PAC Board
Northern Division
Illinois
• Enacted e-Fairness legislation that will prevent online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, from having a
competitive advantage over multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot.
New York
• Changed a Westchester County partial payment ordinance that would have impacted our Yonkers store
and cost it $750,000 per year.
Pennsylvania
• Governor Tom Corbett (R) signed the partial pay reform bill that will save The Home Depot $6 million
per year. The reform allows customers to continue to pay for all the costs of their install project at the
time of purchase rather than 30 percent up front and the balance upon completion.
Southern Division
Arkansas
• Governor Mike Beebe (D) signed an e-Fairness bill into law, which will help level the playing field
between online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, and multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot.
Florida
• Passed legislation in Florida prohibiting city and county governments from passing individual
fertilizer bans.
with what is
going on in our
Our PAC supports candidates who support issues that grow the top and bottom
lines for The Home Depot. Your support of the PAC provides a true return on
investment for our Company, our associates and our customers. The PAC is
just one aspect of our government relations activities. In 2011, our legislative
advocacy saved The Home Depot millions of dollars in annualized savings. The
following federal, state and local victories imPACted all areas of our business.
Legislative Victories
interest of our
Your membership in The Home Depot PAC sends
a powerful message: it says to elected officials
that you believe your involvement in the political
process makes a difference and that your
OrangeVoice matters. The Home Depot PAC
could not agree more and is committed to regular
communication to ensure you understand the
issues imPACting our Company so you can be a
successful advocate for The Home Depot. There
are two different PAC membership levels –
PAC Member and PAC Builder.
“I support The
More 2011 Victories
PAC contribution, please visit
www.HomeDepotPAC.com today.
Texas
• Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) signed an e-Fairness bill into law which will help level the playing field
between online-only retailers and multi-channel retailers.
• Preserved the Sales Tax Vendor Allowance, benefitting the Company $7 million.
Western Division
California
• Defeated an employee mandate at the California ports that would have made it easier to unionize truck
drivers, which ultimately would have driven up the cost of getting products to our stores.
Colorado
• Partially reinstated the Sales Tax Vendor Allowance in Colorado at 2.2 percent for two years, saving the
Company $1.9 million annually.
Top Photo: Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI)
models his Orange Apron from his tour of Store 2766
in Coldwater, Michigan. Middle Photo: Associates at
Store 4114 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania greet
Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA) with handmade
campaign signs. Bottom Photo: The Home Depot PAC
Treasurer Ted Decker and Director of Finance Aaron
Surasky meet with Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS)
in Georgia.
Top Three Legislative Victories
Interchange
“Big banks have not lost many fights in Washington in the aftermath of the Wall Street bailout, but Wednesday's
vote underscored at least one limit on their power. Wall Street can beat almost anyone in a legislative brawl, but it
cannot defeat the entire American retail industry.” – Huffington Post
In 2010, federal legislation was passed that paved the way for reducing the skyrocketing fees The Home Depot pays to accept
debit cards. However, in 2011, the big banks and credit card companies attempted to delay the law from moving forward.
Our opponents fought hard and dirty to delay the Federal Reserve Bank from issuing final rules on debit interchange fee
reform, but it is not our nature to back down from a fight. Our orange-blooded associates had a direct imPACt on preventing
the big banks and credit card companies from rolling back a reduction in debit card interchange fees by sending over
12,700 letters to their elected officials. Reduced debit card fees will provide real savings that will benefit our stores and
customers – up to $35 million annually.
PAC Match in 2012
PAC Match is one
of the many
membership
benefits of The
Home Depot PAC.
If you are not
“It’s bad for business and it’s bad for consumers. Let’s make item pricing one law that’s out of stock.”
– Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R)
For more than 30 years, our Michigan associates were required by law to individually price virtually every item sold in our
stores. Finally, after years of working to update the antiquated Michigan Item Pricing law, we were able to repeal the law
and turn the item pricing tasking jobs into customer facing positions to drive sales and engage customers. The imPACt of this
victory is a savings of $2.7 million per year and allows our Michigan Store Managers to reallocate 62 hours/week. This victory
would not have been possible without our Michigan District Item Pricing Champions and the 5,000 associates who made their
OrangeVoice heard on this issue.
California e-Fairness
currently taking
California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 155 into law on September 23, 2011. The bill requires Amazon and other
online-only retailers to begin collecting sales taxes on September 15, 2012, giving our stores and .com business the
ability to compete on a level playing field. Our orange-blooded California associates had a direct imPACt on the
passage of this bill, sending close to 14,000 letters to the Governor and their elected officials. California was not the
only state where e-Fairness legislation was passed last year; legislation was passed in some of the most liberal and
most conservative states, including: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Vermont and Texas. Ultimately, closing this loophole will require federal legislation, which remains a top
legislative priority in 2012.
Be Heard
In 2012, we are making the PAC Match program even stronger by
removing the $1,000 cap on matching contributions. This means
The Home Depot will match 100 percent of all PAC contributions.
This is a win-win for both our associates and for the charities that
PAC Match supports.
In 2011, The Home Depot matched approximately $640,000 to
over 580 charities. Below is a list of the top 10 charities that
received PAC Match funds.
advantage of
PAC Match, you are
missing out on a
great opportunity
“This landmark legislation not only levels the playing field between online retailers and California's
brick-and-mortar businesses, it will also create tens of thousands of jobs and inject hundreds of millions of
dollars back into critical services like education and public safety in future years. It's time for Washington to
follow our lead and forge a bipartisan national solution.” – California Governor Jerry Brown (D)
For every dollar an associate contributes to The Home Depot PAC,
The Home Depot will match that contribution dollar-for-dollar
with a donation to the charity of their choice, in their name.
This program allows our associates to support two very important
programs – the PAC and their favorite charity.
to support two
Top 10 Charities
The Homer Fund
Atlanta Children’s Shelter Inc.
Alliance for Lupus Research
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Inc.
United Way International
very important
Children’s Heatlhcare of Atlanta
programs – the
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
PAC and your
American Cancer Society
Girls Incorporated of Greater Atlanta
Girl Scouts
favorite charity.
If you are not participating in PAC Match,
please visit the PAC Match section of www.HomeDepotPAC.com
PAC Member Benefits
Michigan Item Pricing
Exciting Changes to
Financial Highlights
Beginning Balance (as of 1/1/11)…………………………………………$1,368,505
Disbursements
Federal Committees………………………………………………………………$1,066,000
Non-Federal Committees………………………………………………………$ 28,760
Other……………………………………………………………………………………$
945
Total………………………………………………………………………………………$1,095,705
Ending Balance (as of 12/31/11)…………………………………………$1,629,144
Annual Growth
The Home Depot PAC works to elect individuals
who will make decisions that positively imPACt
not only The Home Depot, but also our associates
and customers. In 2011, our PAC contributed
over $1 million to strategically identified
candidates. Our PAC does not consider political
party or social issues when deciding which
candidates to support. We base our contributions
on four criteria:
1. Service on key committees that frequently
legislate on issues of importance to
The Home Depot, with emphasis on
the leadership of those committees.
2. Favorable voting record or position on
legislative issues that imPACt our
associates, customers and the
Company’s profitability.
3. Endorsement by pro-business and retail
trade associations, such as the Retail
Industry Leaders Association (RILA),
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National
Federation of Independent Business
(NFIB).
4. Strong constituency, including the location
of a Home Depot store, regional office or
distribution center in the candidate’s
district, or a relationship with a PAC Board
Member or associates from a store walk or
office visit.
To learn which candidates
our PAC supports
in your state, please visit
www.HomeDepotPAC.com.
“I believe there has
never been a more
critical time to
support The Home
Depot PAC and
protect the
interests of our
Company, our
associates and
our customers.”
Financial Highlights & Disbursements
Receipts
Payroll Deductions…………………………………………………………………$1,297,878
Personal Checks……………………………………………………………………$
57,316
Other/ Interest………………………………………………………………………$
1,150
Total………………………………………………………………………………………$1,356,344
Disbursements
- Bob Hommerbocker,
District Manager
and PAC Captain
“I joined the PAC
because it is a way for
me to support our
Company and make a
positive impact in
the political arena. I
also take advantage
of the PAC Match
program, one of the
many benefits of our
PAC membership.”
Eric Hirshfeld,
Store Manager, Store 1303
and PAC Captain
Top Left Photo: Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) sees the break
room and meets with associates at Store 3012 in Springfield,
Missouri. Top Right Photo: Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA) puts
on his Orange Apron and meets with SM Eric Mitchell during his
visit to Store 6956 in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Bottom Left Photo:
Congressman Chris Gibson (R-NY) gets a tour during his visit to
Store 6176 in Catskill, New York. Bottom Right Photo: Congressman
Steve Womack (R-AR) hears from SM Kevin Schiller and associates
at Store 1409 in Harrison, Arkansas.
Financial Highlights
Beginning Balance (as of 1/1/11)…………………………………………$1,368,505
Disbursements
Federal Committees………………………………………………………………$1,066,000
Non-Federal Committees………………………………………………………$ 28,760
Other……………………………………………………………………………………$
945
Total………………………………………………………………………………………$1,095,705
Ending Balance (as of 12/31/11)…………………………………………$1,629,144
Annual Growth
The Home Depot PAC works to elect individuals
who will make decisions that positively imPACt
not only The Home Depot, but also our associates
and customers. In 2011, our PAC contributed
over $1 million to strategically identified
candidates. Our PAC does not consider political
party or social issues when deciding which
candidates to support. We base our contributions
on four criteria:
1. Service on key committees that frequently
legislate on issues of importance to
The Home Depot, with emphasis on
the leadership of those committees.
2. Favorable voting record or position on
legislative issues that imPACt our
associates, customers and the
Company’s profitability.
3. Endorsement by pro-business and retail
trade associations, such as the Retail
Industry Leaders Association (RILA),
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National
Federation of Independent Business
(NFIB).
4. Strong constituency, including the location
of a Home Depot store, regional office or
distribution center in the candidate’s
district, or a relationship with a PAC Board
Member or associates from a store walk or
office visit.
To learn which candidates
our PAC supports
in your state, please visit
www.HomeDepotPAC.com.
“I believe there has
never been a more
critical time to
support The Home
Depot PAC and
protect the
interests of our
Company, our
associates and
our customers.”
Financial Highlights & Disbursements
Receipts
Payroll Deductions…………………………………………………………………$1,297,878
Personal Checks……………………………………………………………………$
57,316
Other/ Interest………………………………………………………………………$
1,150
Total………………………………………………………………………………………$1,356,344
Disbursements
- Bob Hommerbocker,
District Manager
and PAC Captain
“I joined the PAC
because it is a way for
me to support our
Company and make a
positive impact in
the political arena. I
also take advantage
of the PAC Match
program, one of the
many benefits of our
PAC membership.”
Eric Hirshfeld,
Store Manager, Store 1303
and PAC Captain
Top Left Photo: Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) sees the break
room and meets with associates at Store 3012 in Springfield,
Missouri. Top Right Photo: Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA) puts
on his Orange Apron and meets with SM Eric Mitchell during his
visit to Store 6956 in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Bottom Left Photo:
Congressman Chris Gibson (R-NY) gets a tour during his visit to
Store 6176 in Catskill, New York. Bottom Right Photo: Congressman
Steve Womack (R-AR) hears from SM Kevin Schiller and associates
at Store 1409 in Harrison, Arkansas.
Top Three Legislative Victories
Interchange
“Big banks have not lost many fights in Washington in the aftermath of the Wall Street bailout, but Wednesday's
vote underscored at least one limit on their power. Wall Street can beat almost anyone in a legislative brawl, but it
cannot defeat the entire American retail industry.” – Huffington Post
In 2010, federal legislation was passed that paved the way for reducing the skyrocketing fees The Home Depot pays to accept
debit cards. However, in 2011, the big banks and credit card companies attempted to delay the law from moving forward.
Our opponents fought hard and dirty to delay the Federal Reserve Bank from issuing final rules on debit interchange fee
reform, but it is not our nature to back down from a fight. Our orange-blooded associates had a direct imPACt on preventing
the big banks and credit card companies from rolling back a reduction in debit card interchange fees by sending over
12,700 letters to their elected officials. Reduced debit card fees will provide real savings that will benefit our stores and
customers – up to $35 million annually.
PAC Match in 2012
PAC Match is one
of the many
membership
benefits of The
Home Depot PAC.
If you are not
“It’s bad for business and it’s bad for consumers. Let’s make item pricing one law that’s out of stock.”
– Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R)
For more than 30 years, our Michigan associates were required by law to individually price virtually every item sold in our
stores. Finally, after years of working to update the antiquated Michigan Item Pricing law, we were able to repeal the law
and turn the item pricing tasking jobs into customer facing positions to drive sales and engage customers. The imPACt of this
victory is a savings of $2.7 million per year and allows our Michigan Store Managers to reallocate 62 hours/week. This victory
would not have been possible without our Michigan District Item Pricing Champions and the 5,000 associates who made their
OrangeVoice heard on this issue.
California e-Fairness
currently taking
California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 155 into law on September 23, 2011. The bill requires Amazon and other
online-only retailers to begin collecting sales taxes on September 15, 2012, giving our stores and .com business the
ability to compete on a level playing field. Our orange-blooded California associates had a direct imPACt on the
passage of this bill, sending close to 14,000 letters to the Governor and their elected officials. California was not the
only state where e-Fairness legislation was passed last year; legislation was passed in some of the most liberal and
most conservative states, including: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Vermont and Texas. Ultimately, closing this loophole will require federal legislation, which remains a top
legislative priority in 2012.
Be Heard
In 2012, we are making the PAC Match program even stronger by
removing the $1,000 cap on matching contributions. This means
The Home Depot will match 100 percent of all PAC contributions.
This is a win-win for both our associates and for the charities that
PAC Match supports.
In 2011, The Home Depot matched approximately $640,000 to
over 580 charities. Below is a list of the top 10 charities that
received PAC Match funds.
advantage of
PAC Match, you are
missing out on a
great opportunity
“This landmark legislation not only levels the playing field between online retailers and California's
brick-and-mortar businesses, it will also create tens of thousands of jobs and inject hundreds of millions of
dollars back into critical services like education and public safety in future years. It's time for Washington to
follow our lead and forge a bipartisan national solution.” – California Governor Jerry Brown (D)
For every dollar an associate contributes to The Home Depot PAC,
The Home Depot will match that contribution dollar-for-dollar
with a donation to the charity of their choice, in their name.
This program allows our associates to support two very important
programs – the PAC and their favorite charity.
to support two
Top 10 Charities
The Homer Fund
Atlanta Children’s Shelter Inc.
Alliance for Lupus Research
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Inc.
United Way International
very important
Children’s Heatlhcare of Atlanta
programs – the
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
PAC and your
American Cancer Society
Girls Incorporated of Greater Atlanta
Girl Scouts
favorite charity.
If you are not participating in PAC Match,
please visit the PAC Match section of www.HomeDepotPAC.com
PAC Member Benefits
Michigan Item Pricing
Exciting Changes to
Get Involved
PAC Member Benefits
business. I
PAC Members receive the following benefits:
Home Depot PAC
because it is
important we look
out for the best
encourage all
salaried associates
to get involved,
read the updates,
keep up to date
• PAC Apron Pin
• PAC Match
• The Home Depot PAC Newsletter
and Election Updates
• imPACt Alerts — breaking political
news alerts
• Political Updates with Members
of Congress
• Pizza and Politics Events at the
Atlanta Store Support Center (SSC)
communities, and
have a voice in the
PAC Builders, those salaried associates who
give at or above the recommended level, receive
all the benefits outlined above, plus:
• PAC Builder Punchlist – an exclusive
weekly legislative update
• PAC Polo Shirt
political process.”
– Bill Lappin,
If you are not a PAC Builder, and
District Manager and Director,
are interested in increasing your
The Home Depot PAC Board
Northern Division
Illinois
• Enacted e-Fairness legislation that will prevent online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, from having a
competitive advantage over multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot.
New York
• Changed a Westchester County partial payment ordinance that would have impacted our Yonkers store
and cost it $750,000 per year.
Pennsylvania
• Governor Tom Corbett (R) signed the partial pay reform bill that will save The Home Depot $6 million
per year. The reform allows customers to continue to pay for all the costs of their install project at the
time of purchase rather than 30 percent up front and the balance upon completion.
Southern Division
Arkansas
• Governor Mike Beebe (D) signed an e-Fairness bill into law, which will help level the playing field
between online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, and multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot.
Florida
• Passed legislation in Florida prohibiting city and county governments from passing individual
fertilizer bans.
with what is
going on in our
Our PAC supports candidates who support issues that grow the top and bottom
lines for The Home Depot. Your support of the PAC provides a true return on
investment for our Company, our associates and our customers. The PAC is
just one aspect of our government relations activities. In 2011, our legislative
advocacy saved The Home Depot millions of dollars in annualized savings. The
following federal, state and local victories imPACted all areas of our business.
Legislative Victories
interest of our
Your membership in The Home Depot PAC sends
a powerful message: it says to elected officials
that you believe your involvement in the political
process makes a difference and that your
OrangeVoice matters. The Home Depot PAC
could not agree more and is committed to regular
communication to ensure you understand the
issues imPACting our Company so you can be a
successful advocate for The Home Depot. There
are two different PAC membership levels –
PAC Member and PAC Builder.
“I support The
More 2011 Victories
PAC contribution, please visit
www.HomeDepotPAC.com today.
Texas
• Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) signed an e-Fairness bill into law which will help level the playing field
between online-only retailers and multi-channel retailers.
• Preserved the Sales Tax Vendor Allowance, benefitting the Company $7 million.
Western Division
California
• Defeated an employee mandate at the California ports that would have made it easier to unionize truck
drivers, which ultimately would have driven up the cost of getting products to our stores.
Colorado
• Partially reinstated the Sales Tax Vendor Allowance in Colorado at 2.2 percent for two years, saving the
Company $1.9 million annually.
Top Photo: Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI)
models his Orange Apron from his tour of Store 2766
in Coldwater, Michigan. Middle Photo: Associates at
Store 4114 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania greet
Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA) with handmade
campaign signs. Bottom Photo: The Home Depot PAC
Treasurer Ted Decker and Director of Finance Aaron
Surasky meet with Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS)
in Georgia.
“I believe the PAC is
important and that it is
our responsibility to
educate all salaried
managers on the
importance of the
legislative issues that
directly impact our
Company, stores and
associates each day.”
- Jason Culpepper,
Board of Directors
Store Manager, Store 1551
and PAC Captain
Top Left Photo: Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA) and SM Aaron Wyley meet with a customer during Congressman
Meehan’s visit to Store 4114 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Top Right Photo: Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) kicks off
hurricane season with a press conference at Store 6367 in Orlando, Florida. Bottom Left Photo: County Executive Pat
Brennan signs the ceremonial board at the re-opening of Store 1252 in Johnson City, New York, after the store was
closed due to severe damage during Tropical Storms Lee and Irene. Bottom Right Photo: Congressman Randy
Hultrgren (R-IL) learns about the Garden department during his tour of Store 1921 in Geneva, Illinois.
“The Home Depot PAC
has always been
important to me and
the entire Midwest
Region. The PAC is an
easy way to get
involved in the political
process while helping
elect people who will
ensure there is a
business-friendly
environment to run
our stores and operate
our business.”
- Dave Dawber,
District Manager and Director,
The Home Depot PAC Board
Top Left Photo: California State Senator Curren Price (D-CA) puts on his personalized Orange Apron, as he begins
his tour of Store 1061 in Ladera Heights, California. Top Right Photo: Congressman Randy Hultrgren (R-IL) meets
the team on his visit to Store 1921 in Geneva, Illinois. Middle Left Photo: DM Bob Beachy assists Fire Chief Steve
Hrustich in cutting the board to officially re-open Store 1252 in Johnson City, New York, after the store was closed
due to severe damage during Tropical Storms Lee and Irene. Middle Right Photo: Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
learns about hurricane preparedness at Store 6311 in Tampa, Florida. Bottom Left Photo: This Florida-themed
Orange Apron was presented to Congressman Daniel Webster (R-FL) during his visit to Store 6328 in South Chase,
Florida. Bottom Right Photo: California State Senator Ed Hernandez (D-CA) meets with SM Mike Brossin and
associates at Store 8463 in West Covina, California.
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Kent Knutson, Chair
Vice President, Government Relations
Ted Decker, Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Finance
Kelly Barrett, Assistant Treasurer
Vice President, Internal Audit
Supply Chain
Travis Lawrence
Senior Director, HR Supply Chain
Online
Mike Amend
Vice President,
Product Management and
Site Operations
Atlanta Store Support Center
Human Resources
Derek Bottoms
Vice President, Employment Practices
Brant Suddath
Director, Benefits
Legal
Briley Brisendine
Vice President, Legal
Corporate Communications and External Affairs
TBD
Northern Division
Central
Jim Bejna
Regional Director, Human Resources
Northern Plains
Bill Lappin
District Manager
Ohio Valley
Lloyd Jarrell
Director, Talent Management
Southern Division
Southwest
Santiago Bernardez
Regional Vice President
South Atlantic
Haydn Chilcott
Regional Vice President
Mid-South
John Chiasson
Regional Director Operations
Southeast
David Hawkins
Regional Vice President
• Create partnerships between store leadership and local governments to mitigate local day
labor issues.
South Florida
Jeff Beesing
Store Manager
• Enact Hurricane Preparedness and Energy Star Sales Tax Holidays to help our customers
save money and increase sales in our stores.
Don Morris
Director, Information Services
NY Metro
Colleen Gee
District Manager
Pac Mountain Desert
Tim Pfeiffer
Regional Vice President
David Solomon
Austin Tech Center
Manager, Information Services
NJ Metro
TBD
Pac North
Anthony Hurst
Regional Vice President
Merchandising
Marty Gallagher
Vice President, Merchandising
Midwest
Dave Dawber
District Manager
Mid-Atlantic
Vinny Scalese
Regional Vice President
• Support federal and state efforts to deepen the Port of Savannah in Georgia, which would
allow larger container ships to enter the Port, making it quicker and easier to deliver
products to our stores.
• Increase the weight trucks can carry, allowing the products we sell to reach our stores more
efficiently – benefitting both our bottom line and our environment.
New England
Bob Lundy
District Manager
Operations
Chris Duffy
Vice President, Labor Strategy
• Close the decades-old loophole that allows online-only retailers, like Amazon.com, to avoid
collecting sales tax, which puts multi-channel retailers, like The Home Depot, at a six to ten
percent pricing disadvantage.
Gulf
Ricky Dezayas
Regional Pro Sales Manager
Western Division
Pacific Northwest
Jeremy Wallis
District Manager
Information Services
Dan Phillips
Vice President, Information Services
• Stop the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from implementing pieces of the Employee
Free Choice Act (EFCA) through rules and regulations.
Pac Central
Jaime Castillo
District Manager
Pac South
Mike Astorino
District Manager
• Increase state and federal penalties for organized retail crime – particularly e-fencing and
copper/metal theft.
• Oppose new container fees and restriction on goods movement and the forced unionization
of truck drivers which would only increase the costs of getting product to our stores.
• Defeat product bans and reduce burdens on our store associates by preventing mandated
product take-back initiatives.
2012 Legislative Initiatives
Marketing
TBD
2012 Legislative Initiatives
Congressional Store Walks
Dear PAC Donors,
Make a Difference
“Thank you, it
seemed to go really
well. She was very
involved with the
employees. She
loved the apron
and said she will
hang it in her
office. Thank you
for the opportunity.”
– Jeffery Morris,
Store Manager, Store 6871
in Titusville, Florida who hosted
Congresswoman Sandy Adams
In 2011, store associates hosted a total of 53 Congressional store walks across the
country. Members of Congress from 24 different states and several local elected
officials learned about The Home Depot from the perspective of Store Managers and
their teams. Congressional store walks give elected officials a hands-on feel for how
our business operates, which in turn helps us protect our business when legislation is
written and passed.
1,360,000 dollars raised
1,100,000 dollars disbursed
53,000 grassroots letters sent to elected officials
11,241 politically engaged associates
53 store walks hosted
While donning an Orange Apron, strolling through the store with groups of eager
associates, and participating in high-spirited Home Depot cheers, elected officials have
the opportunity to discuss with their constituents issues that affect the stores every day.
The Home Depot experienced two major legislative victories with the help of our store
walk program and widespread grassroots and government relations efforts. Store
associates discussed the importance of lowering interchange, or swipe, fees that are
charged every time a customer uses a debit or credit card; this summer, Congress voted
to limit those fees. Also, associates asked their officials to level the playing field between
brick-and-mortar and online-only retailers by requiring all retailers to charge the sales
tax that is owed on any purchase. To date, 16 states have acted on e-Fairness.
These are powerful statistics. As you read through this Annual Report, you
should be proud of the imPACt you had on the political process.
My challenge to you in 2012 is simple:
Get involved.
Be heard.
Make a difference.
In addition to helping to protect our business, store walks present associates with an
opportunity to host elected officials who have connections to The Home Depot and who
take their store walk experience a step further. Associates from Store 3401 in
Londonderry, New Hampshire hosted Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH) in July.
Congressman Guinta, a former D25 part-time associate, visited the store 15 years after
working at Store 2670 in Quincy, Massachusetts, while saving money to buy his wife her
engagement ring. He complimented Store Manager Dave Dardas and his team on
upholding the company-wide value of “Putting Customers First,” noting that he learned
that same value over a decade ago. Associates from Store 1301 in Anchorage, Alaska
welcomed Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), who posted about his store experience on
Facebook saying, “Had a great meeting with the folks at the Tudor Home Depot in
Anchorage. I get my best ideas and feedback from the working men and women of our
great state.”
Store walks are fun opportunities for associates and their Store Managers to share
with their elected officials the great work that The Home Depot does for its customers
and communities.
To host a Congressional store walk in your store, contact Sarah Sobecki at [email protected] or 202-393-4454.
Whether you decide to increase your PAC contribution, write a letter to your
Congressman or vote in the 2012 Presidential Election, you can have an
imPACt on both the future of our Company and our country.
Thank you for your continued support of The Home Depot PAC and for using
your OrangeVoice to make a difference. We look forward to working with you
in the year ahead.
Top Photo: Michigan State Representative Lisa
Posthumus Lyons (R-MI) gets a tour of the paint
department during her visit to Store 2270 in
Walker, Michigan. Middle Photo: Congresswoman
Sandy Adams (R-FL) learns about countertop
solutions during her visit to Store 6871 in
Titusville, Florida. Bottom Photo:
Congresswoman Diane Black (R-TN) meets
with the management team at Store 0735 in
Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Kent Knutson
Chair, The Home Depot PAC
Welcome Letter
customers and the
Thank you for supporting The Home Depot Political Action Committee (PAC), as
well as our grassroots and legislative efforts in 2011. With your commitment to
our PAC and to OrangeVoice, we made quite an imPACt in 2011:
Photos on front cover: Top Left Photo: Former Home Depot associate, Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH), poses with SM Dave Dardas and
DM Gene Kelly during his visit to Store 3401 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Top Middle Photo: Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) cuts a
key during her "Day in the Life of a Home Depot Associate" at Store 0632 in San Mateo, California. Top Right Photo: Senator Mark Begich (D-AK)
receives a tour of Store 1301 in Anchorage, Alaska from SM Jason DeJardin. Bottom Right Photo: US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) is
presented with his own Orange Apron by CEO Frank Blake and VP of Government Relations Kent Knutson, during his visit to the SSC.
Mission Statement
The Home Depot
Political Action
Committee
supports candidates
who advocate
policies that
promote a
– David Fogg, Operations Manager,
Store 639 in Colma, California who hosted
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma
Top Left Photo: The Orange Apron presented to Congressman Cory Gardner (R-CO) during his visit to Store 1521 in Longmont,
Colorado. Top Middle Photo: Congressman Cory Gardner (R-CO) gets a tour from ASM Chanel Kesler and other associates at
Store 1521 in Longmont, Colorado. Top Right Photo: Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) learns about DeWalt tools from
associates at Store 1114 in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
California General
Assembly Member
Ricardo Lara
(D-CA) is
presented with
a framed
Orange Apron,
commemorating
his visit to
Store 0654
in Commerce,
California.
favorable business
profitability of
“He stated he would love to work
for us here at the Commerce
Home Depot. Thanks again for
the opportunity to showcase
Store 0654…and we ended with
The Home Depot Cheer!!”
The Home Depot.
– Sal Prieto, Store Manager, Store 0654
in Commerce, California who hosted
Assemblyman Ricardo Lara
climate for the
growth and
Top Left Photo: California General Assembly Member Fiona Ma (D-CA) gets a tour of Store 0639
in Colma, California. Top Middle Photo: Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN) gets an Orange Apron
during his visit to Store 0772 in Bellevue, Tennessee. Top Right Photo: Congressman Jon Runyan
(R-NJ) is presented with a The Home Depot PAC-themed Orange Apron by SM Kathryn Caulfield on
his visit to Store 0920 in Toms River, New Jersey. Bottom Left Photo: Congressman Ben Quayle
(R-AZ) hears from associates at Store 0486 in Phoenix, Arizona. Bottom Right Photo:
Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT) receives a tour from associates at Store 4403 in Salt Lake City,
Utah.
Store walks
for public office
“Overall, it was a great
opportunity for Fiona Ma to see
firsthand what our store is not
only doing to help support our
community, but also how our
store is playing an integral part
in creating and offering new and
innovative solutions that not only
benefit the customer, but benefit
the environment as well.”
Left Photo: Congressman Michael Grimm (R-NY) meets with SM Lora Isolano and associates during his tour of Store 6150 in
Staten Island, New York. Middle Photo: Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL) meets with associates at Store 0803 in Huntsville,
Alabama. Right Photo: Congressman Todd Young (R-IN) gets help learning The Home Depot Cheer from Sales Specialist Jake
Stewart, at store 2002 in Clarksville, Indiana.
2011
ANNUAL REPORT
The Home Depot
Political Action Committee
1155 F Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004
For more information:
Phone: 202.393.4400 | Fax: 202.393.4414
Email: [email protected]
www.homedepotPAC.com
Contributions to The Home Depot PAC are not tax deductible. Contributions are voluntary and will be used
for political purposes. You have the right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal.