Susan Stucker – White Cap

For more than three decades, Susan Stucker has demonstrated that success in the legal profession requires more than technical expertise. It requires resilience, adaptability, and the willingness to step outside one’s comfort zone. As general counsel for White Cap, she embodies these qualities, guiding the company through a transformative period while also preparing for her own retirement in 2026.

Susan Stucker | White Cap | General Counsel

Stucker’s career path spans several industries, beginning with her 16 years at Sprint, where she cut her teeth on employment law and corporate governance. She then spent 13 years at HD Supply, a wholesale building materials distributor, before joining White Cap in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve always been willing to step into new spaces and learn,” she reflects. “That curiosity has been the driver of my career.”

Her move to White Cap came at a critical juncture. The company had recently separated from HD Supply and was transitioning into a new chapter under private equity ownership. Stucker’s ability to adapt quickly and learn new dimensions of corporate law—particularly governance and compliance—made her the right leader at the right time.

White Cap’s growth & transformation

White Cap and its affiliates have become an essential partner for professional contractors across North America. With approximately 500 branches, more than 10,500 employees, and 200,000 customers, the company serves as a one-stop shop for building and construction professionals. Its extensive offerings include concrete accessories and chemicals, tools and equipment, fasteners, waterproofing products, erosion control materials, and safety supplies.

What sets White Cap apart is its ability to meet the customized needs of professional contractors across non-residential, residential, and infrastructure end markets. Its scale and reach provide both reliability and flexibility—qualities that are vital in a fast-changing construction landscape.

Within this environment, Stucker’s role has been about more than just legal oversight. She has been a strategic partner to the business, collaborating with executives on board governance, compliance, and long-term strategy. When the company announced plans to open a new headquarters in Atlanta in early 2025, Stucker was instrumental in ensuring the governance and legal structures supported this major transition.

Her leadership style emphasizes building strong, seasoned teams. At White Cap, she leads a seven-person legal team that covers a wide range of areas, including M&A, executive compensation, litigation, contracts, real estate, and employment law. Though lean, her team is robust.

“I think I have one of the more solid legal teams anywhere,” she says. “They’re experienced, adaptable, and committed to supporting White Cap’s growth.”

Building a legal department ready for anything

Perhaps the most defining challenge of Stucker’s tenure has been preparing White Cap’s legal team for the company’s potential initial public offering. Though the IPO timeline is not set—the legal groundwork has been her priority.

“You can’t wait until the IPO date is set to get ready,” she notes. “Anything you can do in advance, you have to do in advance.”

For Stucker, this has meant building out a robust compliance program, ensuring governance frameworks are public-company ready, and sharpening her team’s expertise in areas like securities law, executive compensation, and board reporting.

The transition from private equity ownership to a publicly traded company requires not just technical preparation but also a cultural shift. Stucker has helped foster that mindset across her team and within the broader executive group. Weekly one-on-one check-ins with her attorneys ensure workloads remain balanced and that the team continues learning. Face-to-face visits to Atlanta—where her legal team is based—have been equally important, especially after years of remote operations during the pandemic.

Stucker also sees her role as ensuring continuity. As she looks ahead to her retirement in 2026, she is focused on helping her successor be successful in leading the legal function into White Cap’s next phase as a public company.

“My job is to ensure the person who comes after me has what they need,” she explains. “That means knowledge transfer, mentorship, and making sure they’re familiar with the unique needs of White Cap.”

Her commitment to building a foundation for a potential IPO isn’t about her own legacy, but about the company’s success.

“I’ll be rooting from the sidelines,” she says with a smile. “I want White Cap to succeed with or without me.”

Retirement on the horizon

After decades of professional achievement, Stucker is preparing for another major transition: retirement. Scheduled to start at the beginning of 2026, her departure will mark the end of a career that began when she told her parents—at just 11 years old—that she planned to become a lawyer. The first in her family to attend college, she earned both her bachelor’s degree and JD from Florida State University.

“I’ve never retired before,” she admits with a laugh. “It’s equal parts exciting and daunting.”

She has worked steadily since the age of 16, often prioritizing career commitments over personal time. Only recently did she take her first real vacation in five years—a Mediterranean cruise. In retirement, she looks forward to traveling more, continuing her commitment to volunteer work, and potentially serving on a corporate board. She is already preparing her board bio, a natural next step for someone who has spent years shaping governance frameworks.

Her dedication to public service has long been a defining part of her personal and professional identity. As a Guardian ad Litem in Florida, she has spent over 5,000 pro bono hours advocating for abused, neglected, or abandoned children. She has served more than 100 children in 54 cases and was twice recognized by the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award. This work, she says, has been some of the most meaningful of her life.

“Advocating for children who don’t have a voice—it grounds you. It reminds you why the law matters.”

Though she looks forward to the freedom of retirement, Stucker admits she will miss the daily collaboration with colleagues.

“There are certain stresses I won’t miss,” she says. “But the people—the interactions, the problem-solving together—that’s harder to walk away from.”

A lasting legacy

Susan Stucker’s journey has been marked by her willingness to embrace discomfort and her relentless drive to learn. From her early days at Sprint to her leadership at White Cap, she has never shied away from stepping into the unknown. Her adaptability and curiosity have not only defined her career but also positioned White Cap for long-term success.

As the company looks ahead, her imprint is evident in the systems, structures, and people she has put in place. She has built a legal team that is not only capable but confident—ready to lead White Cap into whatever may lie ahead. And as she prepares for her next chapter, she leaves behind a legacy of service, leadership, and strategic foresight.

For Stucker, retirement will be another new frontier—one she approaches with the same mix of diligence, humility, and curiosity that have shaped her legal career. Whether serving on a corporate board, continuing her advocacy as a Guardian ad Litem, or simply traveling more, she is sure to keep learning, growing, and stepping out of her comfort zone.

“I’ll be just fine spending time with my husband of 34 years, Bruce, and our daughter,” Stucker says. “I am looking forward to it.”