Costco elects Raikes to board

ISSAQUAH, Wash. Costco has announced the election of Jeff Raikes, ceo of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to its board of directors.

At the foundation, which he joined in September 2008, Raikes sets strategic priorities, monitors results and facilitates relationships with key partners for all of the foundation's program groups. Until August 2008, Raikes was a member of the senior leadership team at Microsoft Corp., where he had spent over 25 years. As president of the Microsoft Business Division, Raikes built a strong team of leaders and transformed the Information Worker business, delivering dramatic growth in the company's business productivity line and nearly doubling revenues to more than $16 billion annually.

"We are very pleased to welcome Jeff as a new member of our board," stated chairman Jeff Brotman. "Not only does Jeff bring over 25 years of private sector experience, he also brings his reputation as a trusted and respected leader. Jeff and his wife Patricia have been deeply involved in education and children's issues. In addition, they served as co-chairs of the 2006 United Way of King County Fund Raising Campaign, its most successful ever."