LOCAL BRIEFS: Ex-eBay exec to Home Depot

Matt Carey, a former senior vice president and chief technology officer for San Jose, Calif.-based eBay, is joining Home Depot as executive vice president and chief information officer on Sept. 8.

He will report to CEO Frank Blake. Carey will be in charge of the company’s information technology and communication systems, such as point-of-sale systems. Prior to eBay, Carey spent more than 20 years with Wal-Mart. His last job there was senior vice president and chief technology officer.

He is succeeding Bob DeRodes, who announced in April he would leave Home Depot. DeRodes, who has been at the company for six years, will assist in the transition to Carey. This is the second executive shift in the last two weeks.

The Home Depot, based in Atlanta, has 2,260 stores in four countries and is the world’s largest home improvement retailer.

Supply trucks filled for Ike

Generators, flashlights, batteries, plywood and hurricane shutters fill 500 trucks Home Depot will deploy to Florida to restock stores as Ike, a Category 4 hurricane, looms.

Home Depot has hundreds more trucks ready along the Eastern seaboard in preparation for Hurricane Hanna, whose winds could pose a threat to Georgia.

Home Depot spokesman Ron DeFeo said these are typical preparations for big storms, and are similar to what the home improvement giant did during Hurricane Gustav last week.

Other items they are stocking include tarps, gas cans and electrical cords. He said the chain is comfortable with the level of supplies currently in stores —- the trucks will be deployed to restock shelves as needed.

He said sales have been brisk in areas threatened by the hurricanes.