Carol Tomé, born on January 8, 1957 (67 years old) in Jackson, Wyoming, is an American businesswoman who serves as Chief Executive Officer of UPS (United Parcel Service), recognized as the largest shipping company in the world and a global supply chain network. After “retiring,” Tomé returned to the business world in 2021 and is currently one of the most prominent CEOs in the world.
Most of her professional career was spent at The Home Depot, a company focused on home improvement and related products. There she started as Vice President, moved up to Senior Vice President of Finance, and eventually became President and Chief Executive Officer. All the experience she gained there now allows her to lead a major American multinational.
A lifetime dedicated to business
From a young age, Carol aspired to be involved in the world of finance. This was influenced by her father, who worked in the banking industry, which inspired Tomé to pursue a related field. After high school, she studied Business at the University of Denver.
After her studies, Tomé had several business experiences before joining The Home Depot and later UPS, the most challenging company of her career and where she still serves as CEO.
Tomé began her career as a lender at United Bank of Denver, which later became Wells Fargo. She then served as a director at Johns-Manville Corporation, a company dedicated to materials and engineered products, before being transferred to Graphic Packaging, a company specializing in design and packaging products such as boxes and cartons.
All this experience in the business and design sectors led her to join The Home Depot in 1995. The company is a U.S.-based retailer with over 2,000 stores worldwide, present throughout the United States and focused on home improvement, construction materials, and hardware. Tomé joined the company as it sought an experienced leader to drive international expansion.
Within six years, Tomé had been promoted to Chief Financial Officer. Along the way, she held roles as Vice President, Treasurer, Executive Vice President, and CFO starting in 2001 — one promotion after another that made her one of the most influential people at the retailer.
The expansion of Home Depot in Mexico followed the acquisition of local retail companies. Tomé led this transition and in four years established a strong presence in the neighboring country, playing a key role in the company’s continental growth. In other initiatives, in 2007 Home Depot became the main sponsor of the NFL, the U.S. football league.
Many years later, after 24 years at The Home Depot, Tomé unexpectedly chose to retire. Wanting to spend more time with her family and enjoy a calmer lifestyle, she stepped away briefly from business — and briefly indeed, because she quickly returned to work at UPS, one of the most prominent companies in the United States.
Professional experience at UPS
In 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that severely impacted global society, Carol Tomé was announced as the CEO of United Parcel Service, a company focused on shipping and logistics. Senior officials at UPS stated that Tomé was the right person for the job thanks to her successful track record at The Home Depot, which had grown significantly under her leadership.
Tomé’s focus and leadership shifted significantly in the face of the pandemic. Travel restrictions and bans on in-person interactions allowed her to develop and empower her employees, while also prioritizing UPS customers. Her innovative strategy positively transformed the company’s image.
In one of her interviews, Tomé stated that she placed great emphasis on holding weekly meetings with her team to strengthen each individual’s capabilities.
Alongside her role at UPS, headquartered in a suburb of Atlanta, Tomé has served on various boards and committees in the U.S. She has been part of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, among others.
As for individual recognition, Tomé was featured in Forbes’ Top 100 Most Influential Women and was selected by The Wall Street Journal as a top-tier CEO. In 2023, she ranked in the top 20 of Fortune and Forbes as a leading woman in business.
In summary, Tomé’s career is defined by her consistency and outstanding performance at The Home Depot, which led her to UPS — with a brief pause in between.Herramientas