Jim Sinegal

American retail entrepreneur who co-founded Costco with Jeff Brotman — having worked for Sol Price at Price Club — and built it into one of the world's most successful retailers through an obsession with passing savings to customers and treating employees exceptionally well.

Built Costco as the proof that treating employees generously (above-market wages, excellent benefits, promotion from within) and passing nearly all margin to customers creates a more durable competitive position than minimizing labor costs — making Costco's 86% employee retention rate a key business asset.