Krystyna Kostka
Chief Supply Chain Officer at BJ
Executive
About Krystyna Kostka
Krystyna Kostka is Chief Supply Chain Officer at BJ’s Wholesale Club, promoted in Nov. 2024 after serving as SVP, Operations and earlier leading Fuel Operations since joining BJ’s in 2014; she oversees distribution and logistics networks, planning and allocation, and robotics/automation, reporting to the COO . She previously spent roughly a decade in leadership roles at Irving Oil and has been recognized for deploying retail robotics at scale; external bios list an MBA from Babson (Franklin W. Olin) . During her tenure, BJ’s highlighted inventory/in‑stock improvements (perk club inventory down ~6% with in-stock +50 bps in Q2) and membership scale/quality gains (8 million members; higher-tier penetration 41%), alongside FY2024 Adjusted EBITDA of $1.091B and strong TSR under the company’s long-term plan .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJ’s Wholesale Club | Chief Supply Chain Officer (reports to COO) | Nov 2024–present | Leads distribution/logistics networks, planning & allocation, robotics/automation; driving supply chain efficiency and tech deployment . |
| BJ’s Wholesale Club | SVP, Operations; previously led Fuel Operations | 2014–Nov 2024 | Grew BJ’s Gas; responsible for club/DC operations infrastructure; “driving force” behind robotics/automation rollout . |
| Irving Oil | Leadership roles | Pre‑2014 (~10 years) | Retail fuel/supply roles forming basis for later growth of BJ’s Gas . |
Fixed Compensation
Company does not disclose individual SVP compensation in the proxy; however, governance frameworks that apply to executive officers include:
- Executive stock ownership guidelines: CEO 5x salary; EVP 3x; SVP 1x; attainment within 5 years of hire/promotion .
- Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy: prohibits hedging and pledging for directors, officers, designated employees .
- Clawback: restatement-based recovery for cash/equity incentive compensation over prior 3 completed fiscal years .
Performance Compensation
BJ’s executive incentive design (used for NEOs and indicative of the company’s performance-pay structure):
| Program | Metric | Weighting | Target framework | FY2024 Actual | Payout mechanics | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) | Adjusted EBITDA | 70% | Target range $1,084–$1,128mm | $1,091mm | Linear; overall AIP attainment 102% | Cash, for FY year; paid Mar 2025 . |
| Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) | Comparable club sales | 30% | Target range $15.762–$15.995bn | $16.023bn | Linear; overall AIP attainment 102% | Cash, for FY year; paid Mar 2025 . |
| Long‑Term Incentive | Performance Share Units (PSUs) | 50% of LTI | Cumulative adjusted EPS over 3 years; plus annual membership growth and tenured renewal metrics | Not disclosed (in-flight) | 0–300% of target based on metrics | Cliff vest after 3‑yr period (e.g., Apr 1, 2027 for FY2024 grants) . |
| Long‑Term Incentive | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | 50% of LTI | Time-based | n/a | n/a | Vest in 3 equal annual installments (e.g., Apr 1, 2025/26/27 for FY2024 grants) . |
Note: Individual award levels and payouts for Kostka are not disclosed.
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Topic | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stock ownership guidelines | SVP: 1x base salary; EVP: 3x; CEO: 5x; compliance required within 5 years of hire/promotion, annual certification thereafter | |
| Anti‑hedging/pledging | Hedging (incl. collars, forwards), short sales, and pledging of company securities prohibited for directors/officers/designated employees | |
| Clawback | Restatement-based recovery of incentive comp; applies to awards approved/awarded on/after Oct 2, 2023 | |
| Beneficial ownership | Not individually disclosed for Kostka; proxy table covers directors and NEOs | |
| Insider activity | No Form 4 review included in this analysis; pledging banned by policy |
Employment Terms
- Appointment and role: Named Chief Supply Chain Officer Nov. 12, 2024; reports to EVP/COO; responsibilities include distribution/logistics, planning & allocation, robotics/automation .
- Officer exculpation: Board sought shareholder approval in 2025 to extend DGCL 102(b)(7) exculpation to officers (duty of care monetary damages) to aid retention/recruitment; excludes duty of loyalty, bad faith, improper personal benefit; applies to direct (not derivative) claims .
- Non‑compete/Severance: Individual SVP agreements not disclosed; NEO agreements provide context only (e.g., non‑compete periods, severance, COBRA, and equity treatment vary) and should not be assumed for Kostka .
Performance & Track Record
| Area | Evidence | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Network capacity expansion | New ~500k sq ft ambient DC announced for Commercial Point, Ohio, to open in early 2027; features Swisslog automation (automated pallet storage, case-handling, mixed-case pallet building); quote attributed to Kostka as SVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer | Bolsters capacity and efficiency, supports footprint growth; automation lowers handling and improves replenishment . |
| Robotics/automation leader | Company statements: Kostka “driving force” behind deployment of robotics/automation and emerging tech in clubs/DCs | Execution lever for in-stock, labor productivity, and shrink/control . |
| Inventory/in‑stock | CEO cited supply chain and planning/allocation teams for improving inventory (perk club inventory down ~6% with in‑stock up 50 bps in Q2 cadence) | Signals operational discipline and better working capital turns . |
| Membership scale/quality | 8 million members reached; higher‑tier penetration 41% (sequential +50 bps) | Supply chain reliability supports member value proposition and growth . |
| Financial performance context | FY2024 Adjusted EBITDA $1.091B; Pay-vs-Performance table provided TSR context | Aligns with incentive metrics and long-term value creation . |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited by policy for officers; reduces misalignment risk .
- Clawback: Strengthened post-SEC/NYSE rules; mitigates pay‑for‑performance risk .
- Change-of-control governance: Double-trigger acceleration for continued/assumed awards post‑CIC for NEOs; officer exculpation proposal may aid retention but narrows shareholder recourse on duty of care claims .
- Disclosure gaps: As a non‑NEO, Kostka’s specific salary, bonus targets, equity holdings, vesting schedules, and severance terms are not disclosed, limiting direct pay‑for‑performance assessment .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domains: Supply chain operations, logistics/distribution, planning & allocation, retail robotics/automation, fuel operations .
- Education: MBA, Babson College (Franklin W. Olin), per third‑party bio listing .
Investment Implications
- Positive alignment and execution: Leadership over DC expansion and automation supports BJ’s scale and in‑stock metrics, evidenced by inventory/in‑stock gains and member growth; policies (ownership guidelines, anti‑pledging, clawback) enhance alignment .
- Retention risk appears manageable: Recent promotion and governance moves (e.g., officer exculpation) suggest a focus on retaining senior operators, though individual severance terms are undisclosed .
- Trading/overhang assessment limited: Lack of Form 4 visibility and undisclosed personal equity holdings prevent assessment of potential insider selling pressure; anti‑pledging reduces collateral risk .
- Pay-for-performance visibility: Company AIP/LTI metrics (EBITDA, comps, EPS/membership) are rigorous, but without Kostka-specific targets/payouts, direct evaluation of her compensation alignment is not possible .