THE LATEST: Earlier this year, Trader Joe's founder Joe Coulombe died at the age of 89. Bane, in a statement announcing Coulombe&s death, described him as &a brilliant thinker with a mesmerizing personality that simply galvanized all with whom he worked.& In March, Bane's leadership skills were tested as his crew members found themselves on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. He implemented safety measures and a $2-per-hour wage increase while also stalling employees' calls to unionize until the crisis ends.



BACKGROUND:&Bane began joined the company in 1998 as president of Trader Joe's West. He was promoted to chief executive and chairman in 2001, helping to build the quirky grocery chain into the largest private company in L.A. County, with some 50, 000 employees and an estimated annual revenue of $16 billion in 2019. Bane graduated from USC in 1969 with a bachelor&s degree in accounting.



YEARS ON THE LA500: 5