Our Leaders

John Gross

Founder and Executive Chair

John launched Peak in 1998, shortly after earning his MBA from Simon Fraser University. Over the past 25 years, John has grown Peak from a small start-up with one product to an international leader in outdoor home improvement products. As CEO, John is most proud of the talented team at Peak and the company’s close partnership with The Home Depot and its associates across North America.

The humility that infuses John’s corporate philosophy is also behind his generous support of numerous charitable causes, in particular The Home Depot Canada Foundation, which is dedicated to preventing and ending youth homelessness in Canada.

John and Peak have also provided millions of dollars in donations to Vancouver Coastal Health, Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, Fraser Health, St. Paul’s Foundation, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and the University of British Columbia.

Before starting Peak, John was an accomplished musician, who earned his piano performance degree from the Cleveland School of Music. His devotion to the arts continues to this day through his support of the Vancouver Recital Society and the UBC School of Music.

In keeping with his ongoing commitment to share his experience, support and expertise, and to mark Peak’s 25th Anniversary in March 2023, John recently launched the John Gross-Peak Products Start-up Experience for students at Simon Fraser University’s Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship. Over the next ten years, the fund will provide annual grants of $25,000 to high-potential entrepreneurs or venture ideas at the undergraduate level, helping create an even playing field to ensure all students, regardless of means, can pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

Jeff Kinnaird

President and CEO

Jeff has over 30 years of experience in multiple leadership and executive positions. He is a passionate leader with a focus on the customer experience, innovation, and developing and growing businesses.

In 1991, Jeff started his career on Vancouver Island B.C. with a regional Home improvement retailer – Windsor plywood. He then Joined The Home Depot in Vancouver B.C. as a lumber associate in 1996. Jeff’s career at The Home Depot spanned over 26 years. He held multiple roles including all field leadership positions, Regional Vice-President, Merchandising Vice-President and President of the Home Depot’s Canadian business. In 2020 Jeff took on the role of the Executive Vice President of Merchandising for The Home Depot’s US business, where he was responsible for all merchandising, marketing, and online functions of the organization.

Jeff is no stranger to the Peak Group of companies , Jeff helped start the business with a product he helped place in his store back in 1999.

Jeff has an Executive MBA from Queens university. He was recognized as the retail council of Canada’s distinguished retailer of the year in 2018, by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s top 40 under 40 in 2008 and the Hardlines young retailer of the year in 2006.

Jeff and his wife Jenny have 2 sons who are all active in their local community.

Dan Kiatipis

Senior Vice President, Sales

Dan is a highly respected leader whose commitment to excellence and integrity have made him a trusted advisor to colleagues and customers alike. Since joining Peak in 2005, Dan has been instrumental in driving Peak’s growth and success, developing and launching new product lines and ensuring Peak Products are well-positioned in the market.

Prior to joining Peak, Dan spent 13 years as a Senior Divisional Product Merchant with Home Depot, where he gained a deep understanding of the retail side of the industry. He is a past Home Depot and Hardware News Merchant of the Year award winner.

In his spare time, Dan enjoys racing cars.

James Beckett

Senior Vice President, Supply Chain & Global Procurement

James brings extensive experience from senior roles with The Home Depot Canada, Canadian Tire, and Staples, where he led merchandising, marketing, product development, and global procurement strategies. Joining Peak, James will oversee global supply chain and procurement, including manufacturing and distribution across North America.

“With James’ leadership, we’re positioned for long-term growth and success as we continue to deliver exceptional products and service to our customers,” says Jeff Kinnaird, President and CEO.

James is excited to contribute to Peak’s growth and ensure its industry-leading commitment to quality and on-time delivery remains unwavering.

Mark Hamelin

Vice President US and International Sales

Mark Hamelin is a seasoned sales professional with over 30 years of experience in the home improvement industry. He currently serves as the Vice President of US and International Sales, leading key strategic initiatives in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

Throughout his career, he has been committed to driving growth and delivering value in competitive markets. Prior to joining Peak in 2009, he held various leadership roles, including Prairie Regional Manager and Director of Business Development at Servco Service Group.

Mark is an prolific traveller. He has visited almost all US States in the past decade and finds the tremendously diverse cultures and geography of the United States truly fascinating. Outside of work, Mark is an avid reader and writer and is involved in many sports activities, including playing and coaching hockey.

Mark Hildebrand

Vice President Inventory Planning

Mark has built his career at the intersection of financial analytics, decision support, and operational strategy, supporting multiple business units across both retail and wholesale divisions. Most recently, as Associate Vice President, Merchandise Allocation & Replenishment for SportChek, Hildebrand led a large team and drove strategic initiatives to optimize product flow, inventory efficiency, and customer experience. His prior leadership roles in decision support, reporting, and analytics further strengthened his expertise in transforming data into actionable insights that drive growth and operational excellence.

Jean-Marie Pepin

Vice President, North American Logistics and Manufacturing

Jean-Marie is an experienced professional whose expertise includes logistics management, warehousing distribution and manufacturing. Jean-Marie Pepin oversees all distribution and manufacturing facilities throughout North America and is responsible for all shipments to The Home Depot stores.

Jean-Marie’s outstanding leadership and organizational skills, ability to motivate others, and ability to create processes that are efficient and cost effective have helped Peak increase productivity within a team environment while maintaining safety and quality standards.

In his spare time, Jean-Marie enjoys spending time with his two sons and wife, and has a passion for all things hockey.

Craig Lawson

Vice President, Product Development and Quality

Craig is a highly respected leader known for his great work ethic and passion for innovation. Craig provides Peak’s engineering team with outstanding leadership and inspiration in numerous areas including product design, product compliance, and quality assurance.

Prior to joining Peak in 2011, Craig spent 10 years working with Intertek Testing Services, a global product testing and certification company, for which he held senior roles in Canada and Asia. Craig also spent a decade in steel manufacturing and agricultural research.

Outside of work Craig enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and has a passion for sport and the outdoors.

Andrea Perera

Vice President, US Store Operations

Andrea has been serving Home Depot customers for over 18 years. She first began her career with Home Depot in 2006 as a part-time Millwork Associate while earning a degree in Communications at the University of Toronto.

In 2012, Andrea joined Peak as Operations Supervisor and has held progressively senior roles including Director, Operations and Director, Inside Sales. In her current role, Andrea oversees training and engagement initiatives, new program launches and expansions, and market research. Andrea enjoys building great teams, meeting the associates in the stores, and seeing women succeed in business and beyond!

In her spare time, Andrea enjoys working on home improvement projects with her husband.

Becky Yan

Vice President, Marketing

Becky Yan, an award-winning marketing leader with over 20 years in home renovation and building products. She is known for blending data-driven insights with marketing strategy to lead successful campaigns for top brands like American Standard, Dulux, RYOBI, and RIDGID. Yan believes that loyalty and market share are earned through delivering quality, durable products and exceptional customer experiences, whether for DIYers or professionals across categories like plumbing, paint, or power tools – emphasizing long-term value as the key to sustained success.

Sonja Nelsen

CPHR | Vice President, Human Resources

A passionate HR leader, Nelsen brings a unique blend of HR and operations experience across retail, corporate, and franchise environments to her role at Peak, including expertise in employee relations, ethical practice, conflict resolution, relationship management, coaching, and full-cycle recruiting. After beginning her HR career with another home improvement retailer in 1996, she joined The Home Depot Canada in 2001 as the HR Manager at one of its highest-volume locations. While there, she won the coveted HR Manager of the Year award, which honours The Home Depot’s top human resources manager in Canada.