Culture is the Only Priority

Recorded in front of a live audience in February 2025, Costco CEO Ron Vachris talks at length about how the organization's culture is the bedrock for the retailer's success. "We always do what's right" is not an arrogant statement, he says, but a commitment to their stakeholders, whether they are customers, shareholders or the communities where they operate. Vachris, the third CEO to helm Costco, demonstrates the firm's commitment to growing talent from within. Starting as a forklift driver in 1982 at Price Club, which merged with Costco in 1993, he worked his way up through the company over the years, becoming CEO in January 2024.   Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics, The Leadership Playbook asks top executives from the business world's most recognizable brands and companies about the stories behind their success, their leadership secrets, and the biggest obstacles they've faced and overcome.  Follow us on leadershipplaybook.org to find out more about the show. Subscribe to listen to succeeding episodes.