Ron Vachris became Costco’s CEO, or top executive, in 2024 after about four decades of working his way up. His career began with a part-time job at Price Club, where he drove a forklift, a vehicle used to lift and move heavy goods. He reached the top without finishing a college degree.
After high school in the early 1980s, Vachris studied business at Glendale Community College in Arizona while working. He later became an assistant warehouse manager and did not complete his degree. Price Club merged with Costco in 1993. Further promotions followed, including regional vice president in 1999 and chief operating officer in 2016.
Vachris credits his father with helping shape his approach. His father advised him to choose a company whose values matched his own, rather than chase impressive job titles. Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago in May 2026, Vachris explained that he had not planned his entire rise. Instead, he approached his career one step at a time, following his father’s advice about building his own success.
