Robert F. Posthauer
President, Rubbermaid Commercial Business, Newell Brands
With over 25 years of experience as a business and industry leader, Robert Posthauer currently serves as the President of the Rubbermaid Commercial Business at Newell Brands. His portfolio includes well-known brands such as Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Mapa®, Spontex®, and Quickie®, which cater to the demanding needs of commercial facilities globally.
Before joining Newell, Rob served as Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising at Lowe's Companies, overseeing Private Brands, Product Development, Quality, and Global Sourcing. He also held various leadership roles at General Electric Appliances, culminating in his position as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Rob holds a degree from the School of Management at Purdue University.
Rob is deeply committed to promoting the cleaning industry. He led efforts to create the "Behind the Scenes of Clean" campaign to honor custodial and maintenance professionals worldwide. This initiative, now in its third year, has celebrated over 17,000 professionals through more than 200 events. Rob is also passionate about corporate responsibility and community impact, evidenced by partnerships with organizations like Charlotte Football Club, Louisville Soccer Club, Davidson Elementary, and local festivals supporting U.S. manufacturing plants.
In addition to his professional work, Rob has been a guest speaker at the University of North Carolina, providing students with insights on global economics in a tariff-driven environment. His leadership and business acumen have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2022 Newell CEO Leadership Award for outstanding performance in revenue, profitability, and operational excellence, the 2023 Leadership Award for sales revenue growth, and the 2024 Executive Contact and Vendor of the Year Award from Grainger.
Rob remains active with Purdue University, managing a scholarship in honor of his mother, and is a dedicated supporter of his local community. He and his wife Heather, married for 16 years, enjoy traveling with their children, Beau (15) and Ruby (12).