- Ron Vachris is Costco’s third CEO in its 40-year history.
- He started out as a forklift driver for Price Club, which later became Costco.
- In 2024, Costco made $254 billion in revenue, and Vachris took home $12.2 million.
The story of Ron Vachris is an aspirational one.
After starting his career in the 1980s as a forklift driver, he worked his way up to become Costco’s CEO and president, guiding the wholesaler through unprecedented growth.
When Vachris took over as CEO in January 2024, he became only the third person to hold the title in Costco’s 40-year history.
Founder Jim Sinegal ran the company from its start in 1983 to 2011 before passing the baton to Craig Jelinek, who was CEO from 2012 to January 1, 2024.
Under Vachris’ leadership, Costco has continued to grow — it reported a record $254 billion in revenue in 2024 — but it’s made recent headlines for other reasons, too. As diversity, equity, and inclusion programs come under attack from the Trump administration, Costco has refused to change its established DEI policies.
Here’s a look back at the CEO’s career trajectory.
Vachris declined a request for comment from Business Insider.
