Carol Tomé: The Comeback CEO Who Delivered a Billion Vaccines

Before she took the helm at UPS, Carol B. Tomé had retired. She was confident she had done all she needed to after an 18-year tenure as CFO at The Home Depot, where she helped scale the business from 400 to 2,200 stores and nearly $100 billion in annual revenue. Then the pandemic hit.

UPS needed a steady, experienced leader. At age 63, Carol returned to the boardroom as CEO of the $135 billion logistics giant. In that moment, her leadership became a global lifeline.

Her story is not just about logistics or corporate strategy. It is about answering a crisis call, trusting decades of experience, and leading with heart and precision in a world on the brink.

From Wyoming Wilderness to Corporate Heights

Carol B. Tomé was born in Jackson, Wyoming in January 1957, as Carol Louise Buchenroth. Raised hunting, fishing, and sewing her own clothes, she learned from a young age resilience, self-reliance, and discipline. These were attributes that served her in business as well as in the outdoors.