newws farormehthoeuse
In tune
with
Costco
Tall tales
SWEN NATER may have sat near the end of UCLA
POP MUSIC star Bruins basketball coaching legend John Wooden’s
Deborah Gibson bench, but he obviously learned his lessons well.
recently sang and The 6-foot- 11 Nater, who played well in a reserve
interacted with role in his two seasons with the Bruins, forged a suc-
members at cessful professional basketball career that included
Costco’s Issaquah, eight seasons in the NBA. He is the only player to win
Washington, single-season rebounding titles in both the American
warehouse. Basketball Association and the NBA.
Gibson, who has His latest accomplishment is co-authoring You
sold more than 16 Haven’t Taught Until They Have Learned: John
million albums Wooden’s Teaching Principles and Practices with
worldwide, was Ronald Gallimore. In the book, Nater provides
showcasing insightful firsthand accounts of the many lessons he
Leadsinger’s karaoke learned from Wooden that he has applied to his life. Having a ball: Former NBA player Swen Nater
microphones. It was her first-ever “I wanted to preserve the teaching methods of one signs copies of his new book at a Southern
warehouse engagement. of the greatest teachers of our time,” says Nater, a sport- California Costco warehouse.
“It was fun catching shoppers ing-goods buyer at Costco’s corporate headquarters in
walking by,” laughs Gibson, whose Issaquah, Washington. “The methods Coach Wooden house. “We hope the book will motivate people to
hits include “Only in My Dreams” used to teach high school English in the 1940s were give a renewed commitment to student learning,”
and “Shake Your Love.” “It was also applicable to the basketball court. His teaching he says. “Coach Wooden found different methods
cool to be singing, and you see philosophies are applicable to all walks of life.” of teaching each student individually. He knew
people walking by with strange Nater, who won two NCAA championships each of us intimately.”
items like pineapples.”—MES with UCLA in the early ’70s, recently signed copies To order You Haven’t Taught Until They Have
of the book at Costco’s Corona, California, ware- Learned, go to
www.fitinfotech.com.—Mark E. Stroder
FRANCE FREEMAN
JEFF MARSHBURN
Right person
for her job
The Big One
opens in Oregon
COURTESY OF FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS
Costco’s Senga McColl (right)
stands with Rodney Hunt,
chairman of FWD, after receiving the 2004 Cash and Carry
Manager of the Year award.
moment was that Senga—who
was seated among managers
from other large wholesalers—
had been selected for a very prestigious award by the FWD, which
NO ONE in the audience was represents wholesalersandmajor
more surprised than Senga McColl suppliers throughout the UK.
when she was announced as the “I was quite shocked when I
2004 Federation of Wholesale heard my name called,” says
Distributors (FWD) Cash and Senga, who began her Costco
Carry Manager of the Year. Well, career in 1996. “And when the
almost no one. award presenter saw me walk up
EVERY COSTCO warehouse and more space for fresh meat
around the world is big—cav- and produce. The larger furni-ernous, some people say. But ture area will enable the ware-Costco has never built a big- house to feature high-quality
ger building than the new one home furnishings year-round,
in Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb instead of on a seasonal basis.
of Portland. And the bigger bakery means
The Hillsboro Costco lucky Hillsboro shoppers will
opened November 17, and enjoy new breads and desserts
even veteran members were along with the Costco staples.
impressed with the scale. Members Charmain Ross
Covering more than 200,000 and Jessica Gomez arrived
square feet of space, the early at the grand opening
Hillsboro location is about and said they planned to
50,000 square feet larger than spend most of the morning
the typical Costco. exploring the new building.
“When the award presenter to the stage to accept the award,
was reading off the person’s he had this horrified look on his
list of accomplishments before face. The entire audience was
announcing the winner, he kept laughing. It was a great moment.”
saying ‘he’ or ‘his,”’ recalls Senga, How did she feel about her
manager at Costco’s warehouse case of mistaken identity? “They
in Edinburgh, Scotland. “Because didn’t have any of the award win-I have such an unusual first ners make speeches,” Sengasays.
name, he obviously assumed I “But if they had, I would have
was a man.” said, ‘The best man for the job is
Not lost in the humorous a woman.’”—MES
Featured in the new “I took a day off work to be
warehouse are an expansive here,” exclaimed Gomez.
furniture area, a bigger bakery “This is so awesome!”
—Tim Talevich
DANA SULLIVAN