Lowe's Companies Inc. announced the appointment of Richard W. Dreiling to its board of directors. He will serve on the board's audit and governance committees. Announcement brings Lowe's board of directors to 12 members, 11 of whom are independent. Dreiling is chairman and CEO of Dollar General Corporation in Goodlettsville, Tenn., a position he has held since 2008. He led Dollar General's re-emergence as a public company in 2009 through a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Dreiling has extensive retail experience, having served as chairman and CEO of Duane Reade Holdings Inc.; executive vice president and chief operating officer of Longs Drug Stores Corporation; executive vice president of marketing, manufacturing and distribution for Safeway Inc.; and president of Vons, a food and drug division of Safeway in Southern California. Dreiling serves as vice chairman of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and chairman of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University. In 2011, he was named "Retailer of the Year" by Mass Market Retailer.