MINNEAPOLIS (January 7, 2021)
– Murphy Companies, a leading Midwest third-party logistics and rigging services firm, has announced a new era of leadership for the 116-year old privately held firm. D. Thomas Griep has been named chief executive officer and president, the first non-family member to serve as chief executive. He most recently served as CFO and vice president of information technology.
“Tom's selection as Murphy's CEO and president followed an extensive eight-month search. As a result of this process, we unanimously concluded that Tom is the best person lead us into this new phase in company and family history,” said Board Chair Alexandra Murphy. “During his 18 years at Murphy, Tom has proven to be an invaluable member of the Murphy team, making significant contributions to the company’s growth and its cherished culture. He has our utmost confidence. His integrity and commitment to excellence reflects our family values that have been so key to our success and longevity.”
Prior to his current position as CEO and president, Griep held financial, legal, and information technology positions at Murphy as well as corporate secretary, and CFO of Murphy Rigging and Erecting. He is a graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law) and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas. He is licensed by the Minnesota State Bar and is a Certified Public Accountant. Griep succeeds the late Richard T. Murphy, who passed away on July 4, 2019.
Independent Directors Added to Board
Alexandra Murphy and Gordon Bowers have been reelected to new terms on the Board of Directors, with Murphy named as Board Chair. They were unanimously approved by the shareholders, entrusting them to reflect the company’s long-standing values and culture. The Board of Directors was expanded in September to include three new outside directors: Patrick Donovan, former president and CEO of Bremer Financial; Paddy McNeely, Chairman and CEO of The Meritex Company; and Timothy Pabst, Partner with Stinson LLP. The addition of these seats is the first time in the company’s history that a majority of the Board consists of independent directors. Their deep knowledge of industrial real estate and strategic planning will provide skillful guidance as Murphy pursues growth initiatives.
For the first time, Murphy Companies is now a majority women-owned firm, led by a female board chair. The diversity of ownership and leadership of an industrial company with a 116-year legacy reflects the vibrancy of Murphy’s culture.
Focus on Future Growth
Under Griep’s leadership, the company is placing greater emphasis on growth in markets beyond its existing Minnesota and Missouri footprint which includes 14 facilities with 3 million square feet of bulk, rack, rail served and food grade storage, staffed by approximately 250 people. During the past few months, the company has brought several new customers on board across multiple industries including commodity metals for JIT plant support, light rail development, retail, IT equipment, and solar arrays.
Murphy has also focused on new technology to complement physical expansion. The company recently installed Camelot’s Excalibur WMS and TMS, a nimble enterprise-wide warehouse and traffic management solution that allows Murphy to support seamless operations in permanent locations as well as offer an array of virtual resources. Customers have full visibility to products in their supply chain and can also quickly access warehousing and logistics solutions in any location for short- or long-term needs. The investment allows Murphy Companies to offer an integrated interface to customers, becoming an extension of the customer’s operations.
“It is an incredible honor to lead this company after five generations of successful Murphy family leadership,” said Griep. “We have the infrastructure in place with both people and technology to grow into new markets with top-of-the-line customer service. What has always set Murphy apart from our competition is our core value of mutual respect. It is built into every interaction which fosters a deep level of trust. This is the foundation for our future.”
Strengthening Service by Enhancing Culture
Murphy Companies has long nurtured a positive culture returning an average employee tenure of more than 18 years. Even so, employee training is taking on new importance under Griep’s leadership. The company has tapped Jennifer Stollman, Ph.D., director of Consulting Services at Flexability, to strengthen the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. “Our plan is to reexamine company practices from hiring to training to career advancement,” commented Griep. “With a culture built on trust and mutual respect, expanded training is a natural step that will help Murphy serve our customers better and be an even better place to work.”
About Murphy
Murphy has been dedicated to Moving Business Forward with leading third-party logistics (3PL) and warehouse services for five generations. With enterprise technology and streamlined processes, our experienced workforce simplifies logistics to swiftly move, store, and ship goods for customers of any size through our expansive diversity of locations or any virtual location. As one of the Midwest’s largest and fastest growing 3PL providers, our team provides customized logistics support with asset-based and brokerage transportation; bulk, rack and food grade warehousing; fulfillment; international shipping with a General Purpose Foreign Trade Zone; and rigging services. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Murphy Companies has stood by customers from small start-ups to Fortune 500 firms for 116 years, forging partnerships based on mutual respect. For more information visit murphywarehouse.com
