Trailblazers: Women Leaders in Retail

The competition in the beauty industry is heating up. Subscription based programs and social media influencers push the latest products in order to go viral. Traditional retail stores still have a strong place in the market, yet it has been an uphill battle requiring constant change. Ulta Beauty is one of the best know brands in cosmetics and the company stands ready to face competitors in a challenging category. Kecia Steelman is the COO of Ulta Beauty and is responsible for keeping the company relevant and preparing for the future.

Kecia Steelman has a long history of experience in retail that preceded her executive role with Ulta. Her first retail job was with Target back in 1993 where she worked in various roles until 2005. She then spent four years at Home Depot where she rose to VP of Store Operations and Development. Steelman moved on in 2009 and spent five years at Family Dollar as the Group Vice President. It was in July of 2014 that she would get her big break and join Ulta Beauty as Senior VP of Store Operations. After just over a year at the company, she was promoted to Chief Store Operations Officer. Steelman continued her meteoric rise in the company when she was named COO in 2021 and then she followed that up by adding President to her title in in September of 2023.

During her time at Ulta Beauty, Steelman has overseen store operations and the supply chain. Following 2020, the logistics network of multiple industries, including beauty, faced significant disruption and many companies struggled maintain stock. Steelman was instrumental in Ulta maintaining the integrity of their sourcing and keeping up with demand. Her role in store operations meant strategically closing stores and adjusting to new shopping habits. Steelman’s responsibilities extended to directing information technology and corporate strategy, placing her at the forefront of the company’s digital transformation efforts. As online retailing and consumer loyalty programs gain prominence among shoppers, Ulta would risk falling behind its competition if it had not been for her foresight.

Ulta Beauty owes much of its success today to the exceptional leadership of Kecia Steelman. Her long resume of retail experience has given her the tools to face modern challenges. Ulta Beauty is still a leader in the cosmetics industry, and they have a bright future with Steelman making critical decisions.