Stuart Moldaw

Stuart Moldaw founded Ross Dress for Less in 1982, applying his deep retail experience to build a scalable, high-velocity off-price retail model that would eventually become the largest off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the United States.

Stuart Moldaw is the founder of Ross Stores, Inc., having started the company in 1982 under the name Ross Dress for Less in Northern California. Moldaw, a retail veteran who had previously worked in the apparel industry, recognized the untapped potential of the off-price format following the success of early pioneers like TJ Maxx and Marshalls on the East Coast. His retail expertise was instrumental in the early development of the company's merchandising strategy, supply chain network, and store operations model, establishing the foundation for the company's aggressive organic growth in the 1980s and 1990s. His leadership style was characterized by a deep commitment to operational efficiency, a relentless focus on the customer experience, and an unwavering commitment to providing extreme value to the American consumer. Moldaw's vision of creating a scalable, high-velocity retail operation that could adapt to changing consumer preferences and macroeconomic conditions has guided Ross Stores' evolution from a regional off-price concept to a $21.5 billion discount retail powerhouse. His legacy lives on in the company's proprietary buying organization, its massive real estate footprint, and its psychological treasure-hunt shopping environment that drives high-frequency customer traffic and maintains an industry-leading 13.2% operating margin. Moldaw's contributions to the founding and early development of the company are recognized as foundational to its success and its evolution into a dominant force in the off-price retail sector.