Key Points

  • Costco Wholesale Corp.'s corporate controller and chief accounting officer, Dan Hines, will retire at the end of this month after 35 years with the company. According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, Hines will remain in his role until his official retirement in January 2026.
  • The Issaquah, Washington-based company has promoted Tiffany Barbre from her current role as vice president and assistant corporate controller to senior vice president, corporate controller, and chief accounting officer, succeeding Hines, effective July 1.
  • This appointment follows last year's changes at the top of the finance team: former Kroger grocery giant CFO Gary Millerchip succeeded long-time CFO Richard Galanti, who had served as the company's top financial officer for nearly four decades.

Deep Dive

The company's decision to promote Hines' successor from within aligns with its tradition of cultivating and retaining senior talent in the finance team.

Hines has served as the company's controller and chief accounting officer since 2016, following nearly two decades as vice president of financial accounting and control since 1999, as noted in SEC filings from that time. His predecessor, David Petterson, served as controller for 22 years and worked at Costco for 27 years, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Barbre, 51, joined Costco 10 years ago and was promoted to assistant vice president in 2016. She graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor's degree in accounting and previously worked as an auditor at the now-defunct Arthur Andersen. According to the filing, in her new role, Barbre will receive an annual base salary of $340,000, be eligible for an annual cash incentive bonus of $100,000, and be eligible for an annual restricted stock unit grant with a target value of $2 million for fiscal year 2026.