Costco Wholesale Corp.

James D. Sinegal has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since October 1993. From its inception until 1993, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company and served as Chief Executive Officer from August 1988 until October 1993. Mr. Sinegal was a co-founder of the Company and has been a director since its inception.

Richard A. Galanti has been a director of the Company since January 1995, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company since October 1993. He was Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company from January 1985 to October 1993, having joined as Vice President-Finance in March 1984. From 1978 to February 1984, Mr. Galanti was an Associate with Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation.

Jeffrey H. Brotman was a founder and Chairman of the Board of the Company from its inception until October 1993. In October 1993, Mr. Brotman became the Vice Chairman of the Company, and he has served as Chairman since December 1994.

Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr. had a childhood dream of becoming a physician. Growing up in a single parent home with dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper, and low self-esteem appeared to preclude the realization of that dream. But, today, he is the director of pediatric neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, a position he has held since 1984 at age 33. He is a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics. In 1987, Dr. Carson gained world-wide recognition as the principal surgeon in the 22-hour separation of the Binder Siamese twins from Germany. This was the first time occipital craniopagus twins had been separated with both surviving. The procedure employed hypothermic arrest (the deliberate lowering of body temperature) and circulatory arrest, as well as sophisti-cated surgical reconstructive techniques for success. In 1997, Dr. Carson was the primary surgeon in the team of South African and Zambian surgeons that separated type-2 vertical craniopagus twins (joined at the top of the head) in a 28-hour operation. It represents the first time such complexly joined twins have been separated with both remaining neurologically normal. He is noted for his use of cerebral hemispherectomy to control intractable seizures as well as for his work in craniofacial reconstructive surgery, achondroplasia (human dwarfism), and pediatric neuro-oncology (brain tumors). Dr. Carson is a recipient of numerous honors and awards including more than 20 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the American Academy of Achievement, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and many other prestigious organizations. He sits on the board of directors of numerous organizations, including Kellogg Company, Costco Wholesale Corporation, the Yale Corporation which is the governing body of Yale University, and America's Promise. In addition to his academic responsibilities, he is a highly regarded and requested motivational speaker who has addressed varied audiences from high school graduations to the keynote address at the 1997 President's National Prayer Breakfast. He is president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments. He hopes this program will positively change the perception of high academic achievers among their peers across our nation.

Dan put his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington to use for Standard Oil in the mid 60's and earned an MBA from the University of Oregon before settling in and taking over for his father-in-law, Jack Kelly, in 1973. Dan's vision and guts transformed this local residential plumbing contractor to its current position as one of the largest specialty contractors in the country. In his role as chairman, Dan is committed to success through excellence and oversees JH Kelly's strategic direction. Dan's other passion is fish. He daydreams of fishing in Mexico and keeps busy watching over a commercial seiner and a custom seafood market and smoked salmon business located in Ridgefield, WA.

Hamilton E. James is President, Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone, and a member of the board of directors of our general partner, Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. He is also a member of Blackstone’s Management and Executive Committees and sits on each of the firm’s investment committees. Prior to joining Blackstone Mr. James was Chairman of Global Investment Banking and Private Equity at Credit Suisse First Boston and a member of the Executive Board. Prior to the acquisition of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000, Mr. James was the Chairman of DLJ’s Banking Group, responsible for all the firm’s investment banking and merchant banking activities. Mr. James joined DLJ in 1975 as an Investment Banking associate. He became head of DLJ’s global M&A group in 1982, founded DLJ Merchant Banking, Inc. in 1985, and was named Chairman of the Banking Group in 1995. He is a Director of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Swift River Investments, Inc., and has served on a number of other corporate Boards. Mr. James is Vice Chairman of The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund Board, member of the President’s Export Council – Subcommittee on Technology & Competitiveness, Trustee and member of The Executive Committee of The Second Stage Theatre, Vice Chairman of Trout Unlimited’s Coldwater Conservation Fund, Trustee of Woods Hole Oceanographic, Trustee of Wildlife Conservation Society, and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of American Ballet Theatre. Mr. James graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Harvard College in 1973 and was a John Harvard Scholar. He earned an MBA with high distinction from the Harvard Business School and graduated as a Baker Scholar in 1975.

Richard M. Libenson has been a director of the Company since October 1993. He was a director of The Price Company from its formation in 1976 until October 1993 and was an executive officer of The Price Company from 1976 until October 1989, when he retired from active involvement as an officer of The Price Company. He served as Chief Operating Officer of The Price Company from August 1986 through October 1988, and Vice Chairman of its Board from October 1988 through September 1989.