Lawson announces new CFO

DES PLAINES - Lawson Products Inc. announced that Ron Knutson will join the company as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Knutson most recently served as senior vice president and CFO of Texas-based Frozen Food Express Industries. He will join Lawson on Nov. 16, when he will also assume the responsibilities as chief financial officer from F. Terrence Blanchard, who has served as CFO on an interim basis since 2008. Blanchard will remain with the company to facilitate a smooth transition. Before joining Frozen Food Express Industries, Knutson was vice president of finance at Ace Hardware Corp. He was also chief financial officer and treasurer of privately held Mascal Electric Inc. between 1994 and 1995. He began his career with KPMG, where he became a senior manager during his nine years with the company. Knutson earned his accounting degree from Illinois State University.