Inside the career of Home Depot CEO Craig Menear, who has worked at the home-improvement retailer for over 20 years

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He demonstrated an entrepreneurial edge from an early age.

• Home Depot CEO Craig Menear has worked at the retailer since 1997.
• Before that, he worked at Montgomery Ward and Ikea.
• The Home Depot CEO was selected for the top spot over current Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison, who was also a top Home Depot executive at the time.

Craig Menear has been climbing the ladder at Home Depot for years - and not one of the orange metal ones that employees use to grab products off high shelves.

He's worked at the company since 1997, steadily rising through different leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2014.

Read more: A financial analyst breaks down the biggest differences between Home Depot and Lowe's - and explains which retailer has the edge

In 2018, USA Today reported that Menear made $11.6 million in total compensation for his role as Home Depot's chief executive. But how did he come to run the company in the first place?

Here's a look into Menear's life and career: