At Ulta Beauty, the store is the place where the magic happens. That’s the view of Amiee Bayer-Thomas, who for the past nine years has been an important contributor — in seven different roles — to the company’s growth and evolution, and now serves as its chief retail officer.
“Coming out of COVID, consumers learned a lot about what they’re looking for, and I’m happy to say brick-and-mortar continues to be where it’s at,” says Bayer-Thomas, who, among other assignments, was Ulta’s chief supply chain officer and headed the company’s response to the pandemic. “We do more than 80% of our volume in the stores, so we’re focusing on the guest experience as a true differentiator. The beauty space is all about human connection; it’s all about discovery and play.”
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Bayer-Thomas’ ability to anticipate the needs of consumers, coupled with her understanding of what a retailer needs to do to satisfy them, qualifies her as one of MMR’s People Who Made a Difference for 2025.
She developed those skills during the course of a 30-year career, the first two-thirds of which was spent primarily at JCPenney and the Limited. “I look at my career at much more of a lattice versus a ladder journey,” notes Bayer-Thomas. “Because I choose to take some risks, step into roles that maybe scared me a little bit, it’s how I learned and grew the most. It made me more versatile.”
The ability to adapt has served her well. As chief retail officer — a role she assumed 11 months ago as part of Ulta Beauty Unleashed, chief executive officer Kecia Steelman’s plan to reinvigorate the business — Bayer-Thomas oversees store design, visual merchandising, and retail and services education, as well as her previous areas of responsibility — field operations, loss prevention and the Ulta Beauty at Target partnership. Now Bayer-Thomas is fusing all those elements to further elevate the shopping experience.
“We put the guest at the center of everything that we do, always looking at our business through that lens,” she says. “Our goal is to empower our associates to deliver a differentiated experience through authentic human connection, inspiring discovery across our 1,500 stores. By bringing that to life, we hope to create a beauty destination for a lifetime.”
In addition to expert advice on the comprehensive range of beauty products that Ulta offers, customers can access salon services, including hair and skin services, waxing and eyebrows, makeup and lashes, all delivered by licensed professionals. Bayer-Thomas and her team are supplementing the personalized connections made by associates with a growing roster of in-store experiences. The events, which can be accessed through a dedicated portal launched earlier this year, take a variety of forms, many featuring hot beauty brands like Clarins, Tarte and Cecred by Beyoncé, or celebrity appearances.
Ulta Beauty World, a festival for consumers, debuted earlier this year. The inaugural event attracted more than 1,500 attendees, together with close to 200 beauty brands, for an immersive experience that served to reinforce the retailer’s ties to the community. Ulta Beauty World will be held in Orlando in 2026.
One of the pillars of Ulta Beauty Unleashed that Bayer-Thomas is especially enthusiastic about is scaling new business opportunities.
“Personalizing the experience for each guest — who you are at your stage of life and what your preferences are — is an example,” she says. “We’re doing that through technology and some of the other investments we’re making around relevance. Through that, we’ll strengthen our relationship with customers.
“Personalization is coming to life not only in beauty but in wellness. We launched our first wellness shop in 2021, and now we’ve increased the section in over a third of our stores to between 35 and 45 feet. As a result of our commitment, we know that our guests find Ulta to be a credible source for both wellness and beauty.”
