Tennant Promotes Commercial Chief to COO Role
Event summary
- Richard H. (Rusty) Zay, current Chief Commercial Officer, appointed COO effective July 1, 2026.
- Zay has been with Tennant since 2010, holding roles in marketing, sales, and innovation.
- New COO role expands leadership to global operations, supply chain, manufacturing, R&D, and marketing.
- Tennant reported $1.20 billion in sales for 2025 with 4,500 employees.
The big picture
Tennant's promotion of Zay to COO underscores a strategic shift toward operational excellence and technology-driven efficiency. The move comes as the cleaning equipment industry increasingly adopts automation and sustainable solutions. With $1.20 billion in annual revenue, Tennant is positioning itself to leverage Zay's 25-year industry experience to drive value creation and customer satisfaction.
What we're watching
- Operational Efficiency
- How Zay's focus on cross-functional interaction will impact Tennant's operational efficiency and financial results.
- Technology Adoption
- Whether Tennant can sustain its leadership in robotics and other cleaning technologies under Zay's expanded role.
- Market Expansion
- The pace at which Tennant can scale its enterprise operating models to support growth in new and existing markets.