Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

Forget a six-figure MBA—the path to the C-suite can start with a forklift certification.

At least, that was the route for Ron Vachris , the CEO of Costco .

Today, he leads one of the world’s largest and most admired companies , with a compensation package worth nearly $14 million.

But Vachris never set out chasing the corner office.

Instead, he approached his career one step at a time, guided by advice from his father, a utility lineman.

“I wish I had the vision back in the ’80s about what this industry and what this company could be,” Vachris said in May 2026 at the Economic Club of Chicago .

“But it rings true to my father’s comments: Find this company that stands for what you want to stand for, and then the rest is up to you.” His father’s lesson was simple: “Don’t chase a title.

Don’t chase anything big.

Just go make yourself your own success.” Vachris took the advice to heart.

After graduating from high school in the early 1980s, he enrolled at Glendale Community College in Arizona, studying business while working part-time as a forklift driver for Price Club, the warehouse retailer that would merge with Costco in 1993.

Before long, he was promoted to assistant warehouse manager—and never looked back on finishing a degree.

The climb continued steadily, including promotions in 1999 to regional vice president, chief operating officer in 2016, and by 2024, CEO.

It’s a career rise so unlikely that even Vachris struggles to believe it himself.

“Ten years ago, if you asked me if I’d be sitting here today, I’d tell you I doubt it very much,” he said.