Jeffrey Brotman facts for kids

Jeffrey Hart Brotman (born September 27, 1942 – died August 1, 2017) was an American lawyer, businessman, and leader. He is best known as the person who helped start and lead Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Early Life and Learning

Jeffrey Brotman was born in Tacoma, Washington. His family had moved to the United States from Romania. His father, Bernie Brotman, owned a company called Seattle Knitting Mills. He also owned a chain of 18 stores with his uncles. These stores were called Bernie's and were located in Washington and Oregon.

In 1965, Jeffrey's family moved to Seattle. He went to the University of Washington. He earned a degree in political science in 1964. Later, in 1967, he earned a law degree. While at the university, he was part of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.

After finishing school, Jeffrey and his brother, Michael, started their own businesses. They opened a women's jeans store called Bottoms. In the 1980s, they also started a chain of men's clothing stores named Jeffrey Michael. They ran these stores into the 1990s.

Starting Costco and Other Ventures

In 1982, Jeffrey Brotman helped create Costco Wholesale Corporation. He worked with Jim Sinegal to make this big warehouse store a reality. Jeffrey was the chairman of Costco from the very beginning until he passed away. For a short time, from 1993 to 1994, he was the vice chairman. By 2017, Costco had grown to operate 736 large warehouse stores around the world.

Jeffrey Brotman was also one of the first people to invest money in Starbucks. This was when Howard Schultz was just starting the famous coffee company.

Helping Others and Community Work

Jeffrey Brotman believed in giving back to the community. He was part of the boards of many different companies. He also served on the board of directors for the Million-Dollar Roundtable at the United Way of King County. This organization helps many people in need.

He was also a board member for Seafirst Bank and Starbucks. He was a trustee at the Seattle Art Museum, helping to guide the museum. Jeffrey and his wife, Susan, gave money to many good causes. They especially supported the University of Washington. They helped fund hundreds of scholarships for students there. They also created a special professorship at the UW Law School.

Family Life

Jeffrey Brotman was married to Susan Thrailkill. Susan was from Montana and used to be an executive at Nordstrom. They had two children together. Their son, Justin Brotman, is an activist and entrepreneur. Their daughter, Amanda Brotman-Schetritt, works in areas like sustainability and helping others.

Jeffrey Brotman passed away on August 1, 2017, in Medina, Washington. He was 74 years old. He died in his sleep, possibly due to heart failure. He was a member of Temple Beth El in Tacoma.