Costco Connection - August 2010

to their communities—not to grow business or market share, but because it’s the right hing to do.

Serendipitous benefit

Costco doesn’t seek employees who perform community service, but it’s not surprising when that’s what we get.

“Costco looks to hire individuals who like
to be with people and interact with people,”
explains John Matthews, senior vice president
of human resources. “It follows that the same
type of person would enjoy working in the
community. Some have already started volun-
teering in their personal lives when we hire
them, and some join programs that they find
other employees are doing. We do inspire
each other.”
John is a good example of the former:
He was already working with Rotary
International—a worldwide organization of
humanitarian service clubs—when he joined
Costco 20 years ago, and has just assumed the
role of district governor, overseeing 55 Rotary

Clubs in the Puget Sound Area. International—a worldwide organization of

Honoring tradition

Sometimes employees discover a special way to serve the community. In Anchorage, three Costco warehouse managers have seized such an opportunity by joining up with Operation Santa Claus.

Every November since 1956, the Alaska Air In 2006, Anchorage warehouse manager Dick Snyder accepted an invitation from a longtime Costco member to join the 50th- anniversary Operation Santa Claus trek. The following year, Dick was back for more, as was the manager from the other Anchorage location, Bob Ripley. When Dick relocated to manage the Issaquah, Washington, warehouse in 2009, his successor, Trevor Desatoff, took his place on the team.

Talking with Bob about what he’s experi-
enced in the program, you can hear the
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emotion in his voice. “People don’t get it if
they’re not here,” he says by phone from
Alaska. “I look at some of these kids, and I’m
thinking, ‘What are they going to do?’ They’re
not getting a good quality education, and
there is no money. It really opens your eyes to
the ways of the world.”

Thanks to service workers

Wendy Knaggs and Rebecca Goff, membership managers at two southwest Florida warehouses, were impressed by what they had learned about Herocare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping with the financial and housing needs of essential service workers.

They put together an appreciation event for a Saturday night after closing at the Naples warehouse, and invited Herocare to set up a table there. Invitations went out to all the teaching, nursing, military, fire, emergency and police personnel in the community. The local high school band, Boy Scout troop and others volunteered to help entertain.

SUSAN VOGEL

The 900 people attending—most already Costco members—enjoyed the sounds and light refreshments. From a makeshift stage, individuals were recognized and door prizes were given out. A private shopping night capped off the evening.

The community seemed thrilled by the event. Even for those who could not attend, just receiving an invitation was a very special honor.

“I can’t begin to tell you the reaction,” says Wendy. “Months afterwards there was still a buzz about this throughout the community.”

Higher learning

For Scott Riekers, warehouse manager in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, sitting on his local school board (he is now in his second four-year term) has given him balance. He’s been able to draw on his 24 years of Costco experience to make a positive impact on the community and directly on students in a volunteer activity to which he devotes five to 10 hours a week.

“It’s been an amazing journey,” Scott says.
“I serve as treasurer and chair of the finance
committee. Last year I chaired the district’s
drug and alcohol task force with 20 other
community members. After a year of study,
we made a series of recommendations to
strengthen our district’s drug policies, all of
which were adopted and are now in effect.”
Scott’s passion for improving education
has also led him to write several op-ed pieces
published in the local newspaper dealing with
public education funding issues.

RED BOX PICTURES/DAN DELONG

Charity meets sport

Brent Walton, a manager at the Costco warehouse in West Bountiful, Utah, com-

Far left: In 2010, cashier Demont Cornelius used his people skills to raise $10,000 for CMN—more than some entire Costco warehouses—all from his register in Seattle.

Top: Assistant buyer Scott Breckenridge helps Christina Barry bring home the gold in the 2006 Washington Special Olympics. “I’m not sure who gets more out of it—the athletes or the volunteers,” says Scott, in his 13th year with the program.

Middle: Gloria Villa, a security worker at Costco’s Tracy, California, depot, spent hours going from truck to truck selling nearly 600 candy bars, plus muffins and T-shirts, for CMN.

Bottom: One of the many home office Volunteer Center projects in 2010 was garnering donations for pets whose owners were in financial distress. The drive brought in more than 2,835 pounds of pet food and supplies.