Some professionals got their start working in retail—but not nearly as many of those same workers made it all the way to the top of a Fortune 500 company. But Marvin Ellison did.

Ellison got his start making just $4.35 per hour working part-time at Target while he was in college at the University of Memphis. Now he’s president, CEO, and chairman of Lowe’s, a $127 billion home-improvement giant and one of only eight Black Fortune 500 CEOs. While that’s less than 2% of the entire group, it’s a record-high share of Black CEOs on the list.

Reflecting on the fact he’s only one of a few Black CEOs on the Fortune 500, Ellison said he has mixed emotions.

“On one hand, I feel incredibly privileged and blessed to be in this role because it gives me a chance to hopefully be a positive role model a

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