How Sam’s Club CEO Latriece Watkins Became One Of The Most Powerful Women In Business
Watkins, who became president and CEO of Sam's Club in February 2026, debuted at No. 87 on Fortune's 2026 Most Powerful Women
Black News 
Just months after taking the helm of Sam’s Club, CEO Latriece Watkins has been recognized by Fortune as one of the world’s most influential business leaders, highlighting a nearly three-decade career that has positioned her at the forefront of one of retail’s largest membership-based chains.
Watkins, who became president and CEO of Sam’s Club in February 2026, debuted at No. 87 on Fortune’s 2026 Most Powerful Women in Business list, which was released May 27. The annual ranking recognizes women shaping major industries across the global economy.
She now oversees a business generating roughly $96 billion in annual revenue and operating 601 locations across the United States. Fortune reports that if Sam’s Club operated as a standalone company, it would rank No. 43 on the Fortune 500, placing it ahead of several major publicly traded corporations.
A lawyer by training, Watkins joined Walmart in 1997 as a real estate intern and spent nearly 30 years advancing through leadership roles across the retail giant. Before assuming her current position, she served as the chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S., guiding product strategy and merchandising operations.
Reflecting on her career path, Watkins told the site, “I was at a retail company, and I never really knew what we actually did every day,” explaining that a conversation with longtime Walmart executive, former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, encouraged her to move closer to the company’s core retail operations.
Her appointment also places her in a role that has historically served as a launching pad for some of retail’s most prominent executives. Former Sam’s Club leaders have gone on to lead Walmart, Target, and Walgreens, underscoring the strategic importance of the position within the retail industry.
As Watkins begins her first year leading Sam’s Club, she will guide the warehouse retailer’s next phase of growth and competition in the evolving membership-club market.
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