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ISSAQUAH, Wash. — As executive vice president of merchandising at Costco Wholesale Corp., Claudine Adamo leads the team that finds and often helps develop the products that bring members back to the company’s warehouse clubs again and again, often spending more than they planned because of the extraordinary values and treasure-hunt finds that are on offer there.
Costco, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, has a business model that sets it apart from many of its retail competitors. By offering a limited selection of nationally branded and private label products at extremely low prices, the company produces high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover
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Adamo began her Costo career in 1992, shortly after earning her bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University. Her first job at the warehouse club operator was at a location in Kirkland, Wash., where she worked with the membership and security department.
Claudine Adamo
A year later, she became an ICS for the Northwest Region of Foods and was promoted to assistant buyer in 1994. Since becoming a buyer in 1996, Adamo moved through several departments, including business delivery, e-commerce and consumer electronics. In 2004, as general merchandise manager and assistant vice president, Adamo moved to Los Angeles to open the Los Angeles Regional nonfoods buying office. Relocating back to Seattle in 2013, Claudine was promoted to vice president with responsibility for the home division. Then she moved over to consumer electronics, office and jewelry, before becoming senior vice president of nonfoods merchandising in 2018.
Adamo was a 30-year Costco veteran when she was named to her current position in 2022. She took the post vacated by Ron Vachris, who had just been named company president. (Vachris succeeded Craig Jelinek as Costco’s chief executive officer on January 1.)
Since then Adamo and her team have done their part to keep Costco on the growth track, as reflected in recent sales results. Earlier this month Costco reported that second quarter sales rose 5.7% to $57.33 billion, with comp sales rising 5.6% for the company as a whole, and e-commerce sales increasing by 18.4%, driven by sales of everything from gold to appliances to gift cards and e-tickets.
Looking ahead, Adamo and her teams are focused on increasing member value, delivering newness and excitement and further integrating technology and e-commerce strategies into Costco’s merchandising efforts. The ultimate goal is to enhance the customer shopping experience both in the warehouse clubs and online. She is also committed to expanding Costco’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility within its product lines.
