Alum in the C-Suite at Starbucks

In February 2021, Rachel Ruggeri, was named chief financial officer and executive vice president of Starbucks in Seattle.  Her appointment adds to the growing number of women who hold top finance jobs at Fortune 500 companies.  Ruggeri completed post-baccalaureate studies in accounting at WWU in 1992-1995 and later earned an MBA from Washington State University.  As a 16-year veteran at Starbucks, Ruggeri worked in a variety of increasing responsibilities before being appointed as chief financial officer.  She has also served as controller or finance head at J.R. Simplot Company, PRCN, and Continental Mills.  Bruce Toews, dean, remembers having Ruggeri as a student in several of his classes.  “She usually sat on the front row and asked a lot of perceptive questions.”  WWU students were privileged to have Ruggeri share her story at a colloquium.