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Howard D. Schultz (born July 19, 1953) is an American businessman, author, and philanthropist who served as chairman and chief executive officer of [[Starbucks]] across three separate tenures: from 1986 to 2000, from 2008 to 2017, and as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. Born into a working-class family in the public housing projects of Brooklyn, New York, Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 when it was a small retailer of whole-bean coffee, and over the following decades transformed it into the largest coffeehouse chain in the world. His leadership oversaw the company's initial public offering in 1992, its expansion to tens of thousands of locations across dozens of countries, and the development of a coffee culture that reshaped consumer habits in the United States and internationally. Schultz has been described as "the Ray Kroc of his generation" for his role in scaling the Starbucks brand through rapid, franchise-like expansion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz: How To Do Good And Do Good Business |url=https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/ |publisher=Masters of Scale |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond Starbucks, Schultz owned the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] basketball team from 2001 to 2006, authored four books on business and leadership, and publicly explored independent candidacies for the U.S. presidency in multiple election cycles. He established the Schultz Family Foundation to support military veterans and combat youth unemployment.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schultz Family Foundation |url=http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1 |publisher=Schultz Family Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Howard D. Schultz''' (born July 19, 1953) is an American businessman and author who served as chairman and chief executive officer of [[Starbucks]] across three separate tenures: from 1986 to 2000, from 2008 to 2017, and as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. Born into a working-class family in the public housing projects of Brooklyn, New York, Schultz rose to become one of the most prominent figures in the American coffee industry and in global retail. He joined Starbucks in 1982 when it was a small chain of coffee bean retailers in Seattle, and after a brief departure to found his own coffeehouse, Il Giornale, he returned to acquire and transform Starbucks into the largest coffeehouse chain in the world. Under his leadership, Starbucks went from a regional curiosity to a global brand with tens of thousands of locations, fundamentally reshaping coffee culture in the United States and abroad. Schultz took the company public in 1992 and oversaw decades of expansion, including aggressive growth in Chinese markets that introduced coffee consumption to a country rooted in tea culture. He has been described as the "Ray Kroc of his generation" for his role in scaling Starbucks through franchising and corporate strategy.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz: How to Do Good and Do Good Business |url=https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/ |publisher=Masters of Scale |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond Starbucks, Schultz owned the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] basketball team from 2001 to 2006, has authored four books on business, and publicly explored presidential candidacies in 2012, 2016, and 2020 as a political independent. He established the Schultz Family Foundation to support military veterans and combat youth unemployment.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schultz Family Foundation |url=http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1 |publisher=Schultz Family Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Howard D. Schultz was born on July 19, 1953, in [[New York City]]. He grew up in the Bayview Houses, a public housing project in the Canarsie neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]]. His father held a series of blue-collar jobs, including work as a truck driver, factory worker, and cab driver, and the family experienced financial hardship throughout Schultz's childhood. These formative experiences in a low-income household would later inform his approach to employee benefits and workplace culture at Starbucks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728 |work=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Howard D. Schultz was born on July 19, 1953, in [[New York City]]. He grew up in the Bayview Houses, a public housing project in the Canarsie neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728 |publisher=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His father held a series of blue-collar jobs, including work as a truck driver, factory worker, and cab driver, and the family struggled financially throughout Schultz's childhood. These early experiences with economic hardship would later inform Schultz's approach to employee benefits and corporate social responsibility at Starbucks.


Schultz was an athletic youth and earned a football scholarship that provided him the opportunity to attend college—the first member of his family to do so. His upbringing in public housing and his family's lack of a social safety net later became central themes in his public speeches and writings about the responsibilities of corporations toward their employees.
Schultz attended Canarsie High School in Brooklyn, where he was an athletic student. He earned a football scholarship to [[Northern Michigan University]] in Marquette, Michigan, becoming the first person in his family to attend college. At Northern Michigan, Schultz studied communications and graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728 |publisher=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
After graduating from college, Schultz entered the workforce in sales and marketing roles. He eventually took a position with Hammarplast, a Swedish housewares company, where he worked as a general manager. It was through his work at Hammarplast that Schultz first encountered Starbucks. He noticed that a small coffee bean retailer in Seattle was placing unusually large orders for a particular type of drip coffeemaker, which piqued his curiosity and prompted him to visit the company's Pike Place Market store. That visit in 1981 proved to be a turning point: Schultz was struck by the quality of the coffee and the passion of the company's founders — Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker — for sourcing and roasting premium coffee beans.


== Education ==
== Education ==


Schultz attended [[Northern Michigan University]] in Marquette, Michigan, where he earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree. His attendance was made possible by an athletic scholarship. Schultz graduated from Northern Michigan University and entered the workforce in sales and marketing roles.<ref>{{cite web |title=Commencement Speaker: Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz |url=https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz |publisher=Arizona State University |date=2017-03-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz attended [[Northern Michigan University]] in Marquette, Michigan, on a football scholarship. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in communications from the university.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728 |publisher=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Schultz was the first member of his family to attend and graduate from a four-year college. In 2017, [[Arizona State University]] invited Schultz to serve as commencement speaker, reflecting his status in American business and higher education circles.<ref>{{cite web |title=ASU commencement speaker Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz |url=https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz |publisher=Arizona State University |date=2017-03-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early Career and Joining Starbucks ===
=== Early Years at Starbucks and the Founding of Il Giornale ===


After graduating from Northern Michigan University, Schultz worked in sales and marketing positions. He joined Starbucks in 1982, when the company was a small Seattle-based retailer that sold whole-bean coffee and coffee-making equipment. At the time, Starbucks did not sell brewed coffee beverages by the cup. During a business trip to Italy, Schultz became impressed by the Italian espresso bar culture and the role that coffeehouses played as community gathering places. He became convinced that the espresso bar model could be successfully imported to the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728 |work=Entrepreneur |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 as director of retail operations and marketing. At the time, Starbucks operated as a retailer of whole coffee beans and equipment, not as a coffeehouse serving brewed beverages. During a business trip to Milan, Italy, Schultz visited numerous Italian espresso bars and was inspired by the communal, café-centered culture surrounding coffee in Italy. He became convinced that Starbucks could replicate this experience in the United States by serving espresso-based drinks in a welcoming, social atmosphere — what he would later describe as a "third place" between home and work.


When Starbucks' original owners were reluctant to shift the company's focus toward selling brewed espresso drinks, Schultz left and founded his own coffeehouse, Il Giornale, in 1985. Il Giornale was a specialty coffee shop modeled on the Italian espresso bar experience. The venture proved successful, and in the late 1980s, Schultz orchestrated a merger between Il Giornale and Starbucks, effectively acquiring the Starbucks brand and its existing stores. Schultz assumed leadership of the combined company and began executing his vision for a national chain of coffeehouses.
Schultz's vision for transforming Starbucks into a coffeehouse met resistance from the company's original founders, who preferred to remain focused on selling coffee beans. In 1985, Schultz left Starbucks and founded '''Il Giornale''', an Italian-style coffeehouse in Seattle that served brewed espresso beverages. Il Giornale proved successful and attracted investors. In 1987, when the original Starbucks owners decided to sell the company, Schultz raised approximately $3.8 million and acquired Starbucks, merging it with Il Giornale. He became the chief executive officer of the combined company, retaining the Starbucks name and logo.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz: How to Do Good and Do Good Business |url=https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/ |publisher=Masters of Scale |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== First Tenure as CEO (1986–2000) ===
=== First Tenure as CEO (1986–2000) ===


As chief executive officer and chairman of Starbucks beginning in 1986, Schultz oversaw a period of extraordinary growth. He guided the company through its [[initial public offering]] (IPO) in June 1992. At the time of the IPO, Starbucks had a market valuation of $271 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks Coffee Announces Initial Public Offering |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/STARBUCKS%20COFFEE%20ANNOUNCES%20INITIAL%20PUBLIC%20OFFERING-a012370965 |publisher=The Free Library |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Schultz used the capital raised from going public to fund an aggressive expansion strategy, doubling the company's store count in a series of moves that attracted significant media attention and were described as "coffee wars" with competing chains.
Under Schultz's leadership during his first tenure as CEO, Starbucks underwent a dramatic transformation from a small Seattle-based chain into a national and eventually international brand. Schultz pursued an aggressive expansion strategy, opening new stores at a rapid pace across the United States. A central element of his approach was the concept of the Starbucks store as a "third place" — a comfortable social environment distinct from home and office — which became a defining feature of the brand's identity.


Under Schultz's first tenure, Starbucks grew from a handful of locations in the Pacific Northwest to a national and then international presence. The company's expansion influenced coffee culture in [[Seattle]], across the United States, and in markets worldwide. Starbucks introduced millions of American consumers to espresso-based beverages such as lattes and cappuccinos, and the coffeehouse became a fixture of urban and suburban commercial districts. Through large-scale distribution deals, Starbucks became the largest coffeehouse chain in the world during this period.
In 1992, Schultz took Starbucks public with an [[initial public offering]] that valued the company at $271 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Starbucks Coffee Announces Initial Public Offering |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/STARBUCKS%20COFFEE%20ANNOUNCES%20INITIAL%20PUBLIC%20OFFERING-a012370965 |work=The Free Library |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The capital raised through the IPO enabled Schultz to accelerate the company's expansion, doubling the number of Starbucks stores in what the media described as a series of "coffee wars" with competitors. By the late 1990s, Starbucks had established a presence in major markets across the United States and had begun expanding internationally.


Schultz also pursued employee benefit policies that were unusual in the food-service industry. The company offered stock options and health insurance to part-time employees, decisions Schultz attributed to his childhood experiences with his father's lack of workplace benefits. These policies generated both acclaim and scrutiny from industry observers.
Schultz also distinguished himself through his employee-relations policies. He introduced health insurance benefits for part-time employees and implemented a stock-option plan called "Bean Stock" that extended equity ownership to all employees, whom Starbucks referred to as "partners." These policies were unusual in the retail and food-service industries at the time and contributed to Starbucks' reputation as a relatively progressive employer.


Schultz stepped down as CEO in 2000 and was succeeded by [[Orin C. Smith]]. Schultz remained as chairman of the board following his departure from the CEO role.
In 2000, Schultz stepped down as CEO, handing the position to [[Orin C. Smith]], while retaining the role of chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks Coffee Company CEO Transition |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117121159/http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=818 |publisher=Starbucks |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Due to the scale and speed of Starbucks' growth under his leadership, Schultz was frequently compared to [[Ray Kroc]], the businessman who transformed [[McDonald's]] into a global franchise, and was described as the "Ray Kroc of his generation."


=== Ownership of the Seattle SuperSonics (2001–2006) ===
=== Ownership of the Seattle SuperSonics (2001–2006) ===


In 2001, Schultz led a group of investors that purchased the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). His tenure as owner of the franchise was marked by controversy, particularly surrounding the team's future in Seattle. The SuperSonics struggled to secure public funding for a new arena, which Schultz and the ownership group argued was necessary for the franchise's long-term viability in the market.
In 2001, Schultz purchased the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). His ownership of the team was marked by controversy, particularly regarding the issue of a new arena. Schultz sought public funding for a new arena to replace the aging KeyArena, but the effort failed to gain sufficient political and public support in Seattle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seattle Super Bowl scores points for Paul Allen, sacks Howard Schultz |url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/12287415/1/seattle-super-bowl-scores-points-for-paul-allen-sacks-howard-schultz.html |work=TheStreet |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2006, Schultz sold the SuperSonics to a group of investors led by Clay Bennett, who was based in Oklahoma City. The sale proved deeply unpopular in Seattle, as Bennett's group subsequently relocated the franchise to [[Oklahoma City]], where it became the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] in 2008. The loss of the SuperSonics was a source of significant public anger directed at Schultz. A [[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] poll reflected negative public sentiment toward Schultz in the wake of the sale.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seattle P-I Poll |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/polls/popup.asp?pollID=2983 |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Legal proceedings related to the sale and the team's relocation further drew public attention to Schultz's role in the transaction.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trial |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/369313_trial03.html |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2006, Schultz sold the SuperSonics to a group led by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. The sale proved deeply unpopular in Seattle, as Bennett subsequently relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City, where it became the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]]. A lawsuit followed, and a trial examined the circumstances of the sale.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trial coverage |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/369313_trial03.html |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Public opinion polls conducted by the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' indicated significant negative sentiment toward Schultz in Seattle over the loss of the team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Poll |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/polls/popup.asp?pollID=2983 |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The ''Seattle Times'' reported extensively on the fallout from the sale and Schultz's role in the franchise's departure from the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Schultz and the Sonics |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419015637/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004349361_schultz15.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The outcome of the SuperSonics sale was a notable setback to Schultz's public reputation in the Seattle area, a city closely tied to his identity as the builder of the Starbucks brand. A [[Seattle Times]] report documented the controversy surrounding Schultz's decision to sell the team to out-of-state buyers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Schultz and the Sonics |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419015637/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004349361_schultz15.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Meanwhile, the 2005 Super Bowl appearance of the [[Seattle Seahawks]], owned by [[Paul Allen]], drew favorable contrast in the local media to Schultz's stewardship of the SuperSonics.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seattle Super Bowl Scores Points for Paul Allen, Sacks Howard Schultz |url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/12287415/1/seattle-super-bowl-scores-points-for-paul-allen-sacks-howard-schultz.html |work=TheStreet |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Return as CEO and the Financial Crisis (2008–2017) ===


=== Return as CEO (2008–2017) ===
By 2007, Starbucks was experiencing significant challenges. Rapid over-expansion had diluted the brand, same-store sales were declining, and the company's stock price had fallen sharply. The onset of the [[2008 financial crisis]] compounded these problems. In January 2008, Schultz returned as CEO, succeeding Jim Donald, who had taken over from Orin Smith.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks Coffee Company CEO Transition |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117121159/http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=818 |publisher=Starbucks |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


By 2008, Starbucks was facing significant challenges. The company had expanded rapidly during the mid-2000s, and the onset of the [[2008 financial crisis]] compounded problems of over-saturation, declining same-store sales, and a dilution of the brand's identity. Schultz returned as chief executive officer in January 2008, succeeding [[Jim Donald]], who had followed Orin Smith in the CEO role.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz Returns as Starbucks CEO |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117121159/http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=818 |publisher=Starbucks |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz's return was accompanied by sweeping changes. He led a significant restructuring that included the firing of senior executives and the elimination of thousands of positions across the company. He ordered the closure of hundreds of underperforming stores in the United States. In a widely publicized move, Schultz temporarily shut down all U.S. Starbucks locations for an afternoon of retraining baristas in espresso preparation, a symbolic gesture aimed at refocusing the company on the quality of its core product.


Schultz's return was accompanied by sweeping changes. He led a restructuring that included the termination of numerous executives and employees and the closure of hundreds of underperforming stores across the United States. These measures were intended to stabilize the company's finances and refocus its operations on the core coffeehouse experience.
During his second tenure, Schultz orchestrated multiple acquisitions to diversify the Starbucks portfolio, including purchases of American and Chinese beverage companies. He introduced and expanded Starbucks' national loyalty program, which used digital technology and mobile payments to deepen customer engagement. He also enforced fair trade standards in the company's coffee sourcing, building on Starbucks' earlier commitments to ethical sourcing practices.


During his second tenure, Schultz orchestrated multiple acquisitions of American and Chinese beverage companies, broadening Starbucks' product portfolio and geographic reach. He introduced a national customer loyalty program that became a significant driver of repeat business and customer data collection. Schultz also enforced [[fair trade]] sourcing standards for the company's coffee supply chain, positioning Starbucks as a leader in ethical sourcing within the industry.
A major strategic focus of Schultz's second tenure was the expansion of Starbucks into [[China]]. Schultz invested heavily in opening stores across Chinese cities, and his aggressive expansion in Chinese markets has been credited with helping to introduce coffee consumption to a country with a deeply established tea-drinking culture. Peter Mandelson, then the UK's Secretary of State for Business, referenced Schultz and Starbucks in the context of global economic trends during the financial crisis.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peter Mandelson Starbucks Economy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/feb/19/peter-mandelson-starbucks-economy |work=The Guardian |date=2009-02-19 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


One of the most significant strategic initiatives of Schultz's second tenure was the aggressive expansion of Starbucks in [[China]]. Schultz oversaw the opening of thousands of stores in Chinese cities, a move that required adapting the Starbucks model to a country with a deeply rooted tea-drinking culture. The expansion in China has been credited with contributing to the growth of coffee consumption in the country and reconciling traditional tea culture with coffeehouse culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Howard Schultz: How To Do Good And Do Good Business |url=https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/ |publisher=Masters of Scale |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz stepped down as CEO in April 2017, handing the role to [[Kevin Johnson]], a former technology executive who had served as Starbucks' president and chief operating officer. Schultz continued as executive chairman until June 2018, when he was succeeded by [[Myron Ullman]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Howard Schultz says he 'did a cartwheel' when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined 'back to Starbucks' strategy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/starbucks-howard-schultz-backs-ceo-brian-niccol.html |work=CNBC |date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Schultz also engaged publicly on social and political issues during this period. In 2013, at a Starbucks shareholder meeting, Schultz responded to a shareholder who criticized the company's support for same-sex marriage by stating that the shareholder was free to sell their shares. The exchange was widely reported in the media.<ref>{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Frederick |date=2013-03-22 |title=Howard Schultz to Anti-Gay-Marriage Starbucks Shareholder: 'You Can Sell Your Shares' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2013/03/22/howard-schultz-to-anti-gay-marriage-starbucks-shareholder-you-can-sell-your-shares/#4aed60586511 |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Schultz stepped down as CEO in April 2017 and was succeeded by [[Kevin Johnson]]. Schultz continued serving as executive chairman until June 2018, when he was succeeded by [[Myron Ullman]] as chairman of the board.


=== Third Tenure as Interim CEO (2022–2023) ===
=== Third Tenure as Interim CEO (2022–2023) ===


On March 16, 2022, Starbucks announced that CEO Kevin Johnson was retiring and that Schultz would return to the company as interim CEO. This marked Schultz's third stint leading the company. He served in the role until [[Laxman Narasimhan]] was installed as CEO. On March 20, 2023, Schultz announced that he would step down from the interim CEO position earlier than originally planned, and Narasimhan formally assumed the role in April 2023.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-06-11 |title=Howard Schultz says he 'did a cartwheel' when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined 'back to Starbucks' strategy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/starbucks-howard-schultz-backs-ceo-brian-niccol.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
On March 16, 2022, Starbucks announced that Kevin Johnson was retiring and that Schultz would return as interim CEO until a permanent successor was identified. During this third tenure, Schultz navigated the company through a period marked by unionization efforts at numerous Starbucks locations across the United States, as well as ongoing challenges related to labor relations and operational efficiency. Schultz served as interim CEO until [[Laxman Narasimhan]] assumed the permanent CEO role. On March 20, 2023, Schultz announced he would step down from the interim position ahead of schedule.


=== Post-CEO Activities ===
=== Post-CEO Involvement ===


Following his departure from the interim CEO role and subsequent retirement from the Starbucks board of directors, Schultz has continued to comment publicly on business leadership and the future of Starbucks. In June 2025, Schultz made a surprise appearance at the Starbucks Leadership Experience in Las Vegas, where he appeared alongside CEO [[Brian Niccol]]. During the event, Schultz expressed support for Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" strategy, stating that he "did a cartwheel" upon hearing the approach. The two discussed the company's legacy and the concept of the coffeehouse as a "third place" between home and work.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brian Niccol and Howard Schultz on reclaiming the third place and delivering performance 'through the lens of humanity' |url=https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/brian-niccol-and-howard-schultz-on-reclaiming-the-third-place-and-delivering-performance-through-the-lens-of-humanity/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Following his departure from formal leadership, Schultz has continued to engage publicly with Starbucks' direction and broader business issues. In June 2025, Schultz made a surprise appearance at Starbucks' Leadership Experience event in Las Vegas, joining CEO [[Brian Niccol]]. Schultz expressed strong support for Niccol's "back to Starbucks" strategy, which emphasized a return to the company's coffeehouse roots and the "third place" concept that had defined Schultz's own leadership philosophy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Howard Schultz says he 'did a cartwheel' when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined 'back to Starbucks' strategy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/starbucks-howard-schultz-backs-ceo-brian-niccol.html |work=CNBC |date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In a joint discussion, Schultz and Niccol reflected on the company's legacy and the importance of delivering performance "through the lens of humanity."<ref>{{cite web |title=Brian Niccol and Howard Schultz on reclaiming the third place and delivering performance 'through the lens of humanity' |url=https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/brian-niccol-and-howard-schultz-on-reclaiming-the-third-place-and-delivering-performance-through-the-lens-of-humanity/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In July 2025, Schultz joined Niccol during a Starbucks partner (employee) Quarterly Connect session, telling employees, "The world needs Starbucks," and expressing his belief in the company's future.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks founder Howard Schultz joins ceo Brian Niccol during partner Quarterly Connect |url=https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/starbucks-founder-howard-schultz-joins-ceo-brian-niccol-during-partner-quarterly-connect/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In July 2025, Schultz addressed Starbucks partners (employees) during a Quarterly Connect event, stating, "The world needs Starbucks," and expressing confidence in the company's future.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks founder Howard Schultz joins CEO Brian Niccol during partner Quarterly Connect |url=https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/starbucks-founder-howard-schultz-joins-ceo-brian-niccol-during-partner-quarterly-connect/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In October 2025, Schultz expressed concern about the rise of [[artificial intelligence]], stating in an interview with LinkedIn's editor in chief Daniel Roth that he was "worried—with a big W—about AI."<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-10-14 |title=Howard Schultz Said He's Worried — 'With a Big W' — About AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-worried-about-ai-2025-10 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He also spoke publicly about the importance of leadership during periods of uncertainty.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hayes |first=Julian |date=2025-10-19 |title=Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz On Leading Through Uncertainty |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/julianhayesii/2025/10/19/former-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-on-leading-through-uncertainty/ |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In October 2025, Schultz spoke publicly about the risks of [[artificial intelligence]], stating he was "Worried — with a big W" about AI and its implications for business and society.<ref>{{cite news |title=Howard Schultz Said He's Worried — 'With a Big W' — About AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-worried-about-ai-2025-10 |work=Business Insider |date=2025-10-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In a separate interview, he discussed the topic of leading through uncertainty, emphasizing that "true leadership is defined in the toughest moments."<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz On Leading Through Uncertainty |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/julianhayesii/2025/10/19/former-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-on-leading-through-uncertainty/ |work=Forbes |date=2025-10-19 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Political Considerations ===
== Political Activities ==


Schultz publicly considered candidacy for the [[President of the United States|U.S. presidency]] in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 election cycles. In each instance, he explored the possibility of running as an [[independent (politics)|independent]] candidate. He declined to enter all three races. Prior to 2019, Schultz was affiliated with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]; he registered as an independent in 2019. His stated political positions have been described as socially liberal and fiscally moderate. In [[foreign policy]], he has been characterized as a "liberal hawk," favoring American-led international engagement.
Schultz has been politically active outside of his business career. He was a registered [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] for most of his adult life before changing his affiliation to [[independent (politics)|independent]] in 2019.


=== Books ===
Schultz publicly considered running for [[President of the United States]] in three separate election cycles: 2012, 2016, and 2020. In each case, he explored the possibility of an independent candidacy but ultimately declined to enter the race. His 2020 exploration attracted significant media attention and criticism from Democratic politicians and strategists who feared that an independent candidacy could split the anti-Republican vote and aid the re-election of President [[Donald Trump]].


Schultz has authored four books on business and leadership. His writings have addressed his personal story of rising from public housing to corporate leadership, the culture and values of Starbucks, and his views on the responsibilities of business leaders in society.
Schultz's political positions have been characterized as socially liberal and fiscally moderate. In foreign policy, he has been described as a "liberal hawk," favoring American leadership in international affairs. In 2013, during a Starbucks shareholders' meeting, Schultz responded to a shareholder who objected to the company's support for same-sex marriage by telling the shareholder, "You can sell your shares."<ref>{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Frederick |title=Howard Schultz to Anti-Gay-Marriage Starbucks Shareholder: 'You Can Sell Your Shares' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2013/03/22/howard-schultz-to-anti-gay-marriage-starbucks-shareholder-you-can-sell-your-shares/#4aed60586511 |work=Forbes |date=2013-03-22 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Howard Schultz has two children. He resides in the Seattle area, where he has been based for most of his professional career. Details of his family life beyond these facts have remained largely private.
Schultz has two children. He established the '''Schultz Family Foundation''', a philanthropic organization focused on two primary areas: supporting military veterans and their families, and combating youth unemployment in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schultz Family Foundation |url=http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1 |publisher=Schultz Family Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2015, Schultz wrote an op-ed in ''The New York Times'' discussing the challenge of connecting young people with employment opportunities.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schultz |first=Howard |title=Connecting Young People With Jobs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/opinion/connecting-young-people-with-jobs.html |work=The New York Times |date=2015-07-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The ''Chronicle of Philanthropy'' also reported on Schultz's philanthropic activities through the foundation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Starbucks's Schultz Opens New Foundation |url=https://philanthropy.com/article/Starbuckss-Schultz-Opens-New/228699 |work=Chronicle of Philanthropy |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Schultz's political affiliations shifted from the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] to independent status in 2019, coinciding with his exploration of a potential presidential campaign. He has spoken publicly about the influence of his upbringing in Brooklyn's public housing projects on his worldview and his commitment to employee welfare and social responsibility initiatives.
Schultz has authored four books on business and leadership. He has spoken publicly about how his upbringing in public housing in Brooklyn shaped his worldview and his approach to running Starbucks, particularly his emphasis on providing employee benefits such as health insurance and stock options to part-time workers.


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Schultz has received numerous honors and awards over the course of his career. He was the recipient of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund's National Equal Justice Award, which recognized his contributions to social justice causes.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Moment Now: NAACP Legal Defense 31st Annual National Equal Justice Awards |url=http://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/moment-now-naacp-legal-31st-annual-national-equal-justice-awards |publisher=NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz has received recognition from multiple organizations for his business leadership and philanthropic efforts. The [[NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund]] honored him with its National Equal Justice Award at the organization's 31st Annual National Equal Justice Awards ceremony.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Moment Now: NAACP Legal Defense 31st Annual National Equal Justice Awards |url=http://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/moment-now-naacp-legal-31st-annual-national-equal-justice-awards |publisher=NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Schultz has been invited to deliver commencement addresses at major universities. In 2017, he served as the commencement speaker at [[Arizona State University]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Commencement Speaker: Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz |url=https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz |publisher=Arizona State University |date=2017-03-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
He has been featured on the [[Forbes]] list of the wealthiest Americans, ranked as the 209th-richest person in the United States in October 2020. Arizona State University selected Schultz as its commencement speaker in 2017, reflecting his profile in American business and public life.<ref>{{cite web |title=ASU commencement speaker Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz |url=https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz |publisher=Arizona State University |date=2017-03-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


His leadership of Starbucks earned him comparisons to [[Ray Kroc]], the businessman who built [[McDonald's]] into a global franchise empire. The description of Schultz as "the Ray Kroc of his generation" reflects the scale at which he expanded the Starbucks brand from a regional coffee retailer to a multinational corporation with tens of thousands of locations worldwide.
Media outlets have frequently profiled Schultz as a transformative figure in the American retail and food-service industries. His role in building Starbucks from a small chain of coffee bean retailers into the world's largest coffeehouse company has drawn comparisons to Ray Kroc's expansion of McDonald's. ''Fast Company'' noted in 2025 that even two years after retiring from the Starbucks board, Schultz's commentary on business and leadership continued to attract attention across the industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Howard Schultz isn't running Starbucks anymore—but his latest warning should make every CEO listen |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91422968/howard-schultz-starbucks-warning-should-make-every-ceo-listen |work=Fast Company |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


British politician [[Peter Mandelson]] referenced the Starbucks model and Schultz's influence on consumer culture in a 2009 discussion about the economy.<ref>{{cite news |date=2009-02-19 |title=Peter Mandelson, Starbucks and the economy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/feb/19/peter-mandelson-starbucks-economy |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Legacy ==
 
== Philanthropy ==
 
Schultz established the Schultz Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on two primary areas: supporting military veterans transitioning to civilian life and combating youth unemployment in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schultz Family Foundation |url=http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1 |publisher=Schultz Family Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In a 2015 opinion piece published in ''[[The New York Times]]'', Schultz wrote about the importance of connecting young people with employment opportunities.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schultz |first=Howard |date=2015-07-13 |title=Connecting Young People With Jobs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/opinion/connecting-young-people-with-jobs.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The foundation's work on veteran employment drew from Schultz's broader belief in corporate social responsibility. Starbucks under Schultz's leadership made public commitments to hiring veterans and military spouses. The Schultz Family Foundation has also partnered with community organizations to create pathways for young people who are disconnected from both education and employment.<ref>{{cite news |title=Starbucks's Schultz Opens New Foundation |url=https://philanthropy.com/article/Starbuckss-Schultz-Opens-New/228699 |work=The Chronicle of Philanthropy |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz's impact on the American coffee industry and on retail culture is substantial. Before Starbucks' expansion under his leadership, specialty coffee was a niche market in the United States. Schultz's vision of the coffeehouse as a "third place" — a communal gathering space between home and work — redefined how Americans consumed coffee and how they thought about the coffeehouse experience. The model he built at Starbucks influenced countless competitors and imitators, and the company's global reach brought espresso-based beverages into the mainstream of American daily life.


== Legacy ==
His employee-relations policies, including health insurance for part-time workers and the Bean Stock equity program, set benchmarks in the retail and food-service industries and were frequently cited in discussions of corporate social responsibility. His commitment to fair trade sourcing standards during his second CEO tenure contributed to broader industry trends toward ethical supply-chain practices.


Howard Schultz's impact on American consumer culture and the global coffee industry is substantial and well-documented. Under his leadership, Starbucks grew from a small Seattle coffee retailer into the world's largest coffeehouse chain, with locations spanning dozens of countries. The company's expansion influenced not only the coffee industry but also broader trends in retail, urban design, and workplace culture. The concept of the coffeehouse as a "third place"—a social environment distinct from home and work—became closely associated with the Starbucks brand under Schultz's stewardship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brian Niccol and Howard Schultz on reclaiming the third place and delivering performance 'through the lens of humanity' |url=https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/brian-niccol-and-howard-schultz-on-reclaiming-the-third-place-and-delivering-performance-through-the-lens-of-humanity/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Schultz's aggressive expansion of Starbucks into China represented a significant strategic accomplishment, introducing coffee culture to one of the world's largest consumer markets. The company's Chinese operations grew to represent a major portion of Starbucks' international business.


Schultz's employee benefit policies, including the extension of health insurance and stock options to part-time workers, set precedents in the food-service and retail industries. His approach to corporate responsibility—including fair trade sourcing, veteran hiring programs, and public engagement on social issues—placed Starbucks at the center of debates about the role of corporations in society.
His political explorations, while ultimately resulting in no candidacy, reflected broader debates in American politics about the role of independent candidates and business leaders in governance. Schultz's philanthropic work through the Schultz Family Foundation has focused on two areas — veterans' support and youth employment — that address significant social challenges in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schultz Family Foundation |url=http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1 |publisher=Schultz Family Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


His expansion of Starbucks into China represented one of the most significant examples of a Western consumer brand adapting to an Asian market with distinct cultural traditions. The growth of coffee consumption in China during and after Schultz's tenures has been partly attributed to Starbucks' market presence.
As of 2025, Schultz continued to engage publicly with questions of business leadership and corporate responsibility, participating in Starbucks company events and speaking on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to the fundamentals of customer-focused management.<ref>{{cite web |title=Starbucks founder Howard Schultz joins CEO Brian Niccol during partner Quarterly Connect |url=https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/starbucks-founder-howard-schultz-joins-ceo-brian-niccol-during-partner-quarterly-connect/ |publisher=Starbucks |date=2025-07-31 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
As of 2025, Schultz continues to engage publicly with issues of business leadership, corporate culture, and technology, including expressing concern about the societal implications of artificial intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-10-14 |title=Howard Schultz Said He's Worried — 'With a Big W' — About AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-worried-about-ai-2025-10 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His legacy remains closely intertwined with the Starbucks brand, and his influence on the modern coffeehouse industry continues to be a subject of discussion among business analysts and commentators.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-10-16 |title=Howard Schultz isn't running Starbucks anymore—but his latest warning should make every CEO listen |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91422968/howard-schultz-starbucks-warning-should-make-every-ceo-listen |work=Fast Company |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Northern Michigan University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:People from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Seattle SuperSonics owners]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
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Revision as of 00:46, 24 February 2026


Howard Schultz
Schultz in 2019
Howard Schultz
Born19 7, 1953
BirthplaceNew York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessman, author
Known forLeadership of Starbucks; co-ownership of Seattle SuperSonics
EducationNorthern Michigan University (BA)
Children2
AwardsNAACP National Equal Justice Award

Howard D. Schultz (born July 19, 1953) is an American businessman and author who served as chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks across three separate tenures: from 1986 to 2000, from 2008 to 2017, and as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. Born into a working-class family in the public housing projects of Brooklyn, New York, Schultz rose to become one of the most prominent figures in the American coffee industry and in global retail. He joined Starbucks in 1982 when it was a small chain of coffee bean retailers in Seattle, and after a brief departure to found his own coffeehouse, Il Giornale, he returned to acquire and transform Starbucks into the largest coffeehouse chain in the world. Under his leadership, Starbucks went from a regional curiosity to a global brand with tens of thousands of locations, fundamentally reshaping coffee culture in the United States and abroad. Schultz took the company public in 1992 and oversaw decades of expansion, including aggressive growth in Chinese markets that introduced coffee consumption to a country rooted in tea culture. He has been described as the "Ray Kroc of his generation" for his role in scaling Starbucks through franchising and corporate strategy.[1] Beyond Starbucks, Schultz owned the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team from 2001 to 2006, has authored four books on business, and publicly explored presidential candidacies in 2012, 2016, and 2020 as a political independent. He established the Schultz Family Foundation to support military veterans and combat youth unemployment.[2]

Early Life

Howard D. Schultz was born on July 19, 1953, in New York City. He grew up in the Bayview Houses, a public housing project in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn.[3] His father held a series of blue-collar jobs, including work as a truck driver, factory worker, and cab driver, and the family struggled financially throughout Schultz's childhood. These early experiences with economic hardship would later inform Schultz's approach to employee benefits and corporate social responsibility at Starbucks.

Schultz attended Canarsie High School in Brooklyn, where he was an athletic student. He earned a football scholarship to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, becoming the first person in his family to attend college. At Northern Michigan, Schultz studied communications and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[4]

After graduating from college, Schultz entered the workforce in sales and marketing roles. He eventually took a position with Hammarplast, a Swedish housewares company, where he worked as a general manager. It was through his work at Hammarplast that Schultz first encountered Starbucks. He noticed that a small coffee bean retailer in Seattle was placing unusually large orders for a particular type of drip coffeemaker, which piqued his curiosity and prompted him to visit the company's Pike Place Market store. That visit in 1981 proved to be a turning point: Schultz was struck by the quality of the coffee and the passion of the company's founders — Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker — for sourcing and roasting premium coffee beans.

Education

Schultz attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, on a football scholarship. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from the university.[5] Schultz was the first member of his family to attend and graduate from a four-year college. In 2017, Arizona State University invited Schultz to serve as commencement speaker, reflecting his status in American business and higher education circles.[6]

Career

Early Years at Starbucks and the Founding of Il Giornale

Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 as director of retail operations and marketing. At the time, Starbucks operated as a retailer of whole coffee beans and equipment, not as a coffeehouse serving brewed beverages. During a business trip to Milan, Italy, Schultz visited numerous Italian espresso bars and was inspired by the communal, café-centered culture surrounding coffee in Italy. He became convinced that Starbucks could replicate this experience in the United States by serving espresso-based drinks in a welcoming, social atmosphere — what he would later describe as a "third place" between home and work.

Schultz's vision for transforming Starbucks into a coffeehouse met resistance from the company's original founders, who preferred to remain focused on selling coffee beans. In 1985, Schultz left Starbucks and founded Il Giornale, an Italian-style coffeehouse in Seattle that served brewed espresso beverages. Il Giornale proved successful and attracted investors. In 1987, when the original Starbucks owners decided to sell the company, Schultz raised approximately $3.8 million and acquired Starbucks, merging it with Il Giornale. He became the chief executive officer of the combined company, retaining the Starbucks name and logo.[7]

First Tenure as CEO (1986–2000)

Under Schultz's leadership during his first tenure as CEO, Starbucks underwent a dramatic transformation from a small Seattle-based chain into a national and eventually international brand. Schultz pursued an aggressive expansion strategy, opening new stores at a rapid pace across the United States. A central element of his approach was the concept of the Starbucks store as a "third place" — a comfortable social environment distinct from home and office — which became a defining feature of the brand's identity.

In 1992, Schultz took Starbucks public with an initial public offering that valued the company at $271 million.[8] The capital raised through the IPO enabled Schultz to accelerate the company's expansion, doubling the number of Starbucks stores in what the media described as a series of "coffee wars" with competitors. By the late 1990s, Starbucks had established a presence in major markets across the United States and had begun expanding internationally.

Schultz also distinguished himself through his employee-relations policies. He introduced health insurance benefits for part-time employees and implemented a stock-option plan called "Bean Stock" that extended equity ownership to all employees, whom Starbucks referred to as "partners." These policies were unusual in the retail and food-service industries at the time and contributed to Starbucks' reputation as a relatively progressive employer.

In 2000, Schultz stepped down as CEO, handing the position to Orin C. Smith, while retaining the role of chairman of the board.[9] Due to the scale and speed of Starbucks' growth under his leadership, Schultz was frequently compared to Ray Kroc, the businessman who transformed McDonald's into a global franchise, and was described as the "Ray Kroc of his generation."

Ownership of the Seattle SuperSonics (2001–2006)

In 2001, Schultz purchased the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His ownership of the team was marked by controversy, particularly regarding the issue of a new arena. Schultz sought public funding for a new arena to replace the aging KeyArena, but the effort failed to gain sufficient political and public support in Seattle.[10]

In 2006, Schultz sold the SuperSonics to a group led by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. The sale proved deeply unpopular in Seattle, as Bennett subsequently relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City, where it became the Oklahoma City Thunder. A lawsuit followed, and a trial examined the circumstances of the sale.[11] Public opinion polls conducted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer indicated significant negative sentiment toward Schultz in Seattle over the loss of the team.[12] The Seattle Times reported extensively on the fallout from the sale and Schultz's role in the franchise's departure from the city.[13]

Return as CEO and the Financial Crisis (2008–2017)

By 2007, Starbucks was experiencing significant challenges. Rapid over-expansion had diluted the brand, same-store sales were declining, and the company's stock price had fallen sharply. The onset of the 2008 financial crisis compounded these problems. In January 2008, Schultz returned as CEO, succeeding Jim Donald, who had taken over from Orin Smith.[14]

Schultz's return was accompanied by sweeping changes. He led a significant restructuring that included the firing of senior executives and the elimination of thousands of positions across the company. He ordered the closure of hundreds of underperforming stores in the United States. In a widely publicized move, Schultz temporarily shut down all U.S. Starbucks locations for an afternoon of retraining baristas in espresso preparation, a symbolic gesture aimed at refocusing the company on the quality of its core product.

During his second tenure, Schultz orchestrated multiple acquisitions to diversify the Starbucks portfolio, including purchases of American and Chinese beverage companies. He introduced and expanded Starbucks' national loyalty program, which used digital technology and mobile payments to deepen customer engagement. He also enforced fair trade standards in the company's coffee sourcing, building on Starbucks' earlier commitments to ethical sourcing practices.

A major strategic focus of Schultz's second tenure was the expansion of Starbucks into China. Schultz invested heavily in opening stores across Chinese cities, and his aggressive expansion in Chinese markets has been credited with helping to introduce coffee consumption to a country with a deeply established tea-drinking culture. Peter Mandelson, then the UK's Secretary of State for Business, referenced Schultz and Starbucks in the context of global economic trends during the financial crisis.[15]

Schultz stepped down as CEO in April 2017, handing the role to Kevin Johnson, a former technology executive who had served as Starbucks' president and chief operating officer. Schultz continued as executive chairman until June 2018, when he was succeeded by Myron Ullman.[16]

Third Tenure as Interim CEO (2022–2023)

On March 16, 2022, Starbucks announced that Kevin Johnson was retiring and that Schultz would return as interim CEO until a permanent successor was identified. During this third tenure, Schultz navigated the company through a period marked by unionization efforts at numerous Starbucks locations across the United States, as well as ongoing challenges related to labor relations and operational efficiency. Schultz served as interim CEO until Laxman Narasimhan assumed the permanent CEO role. On March 20, 2023, Schultz announced he would step down from the interim position ahead of schedule.

Post-CEO Involvement

Following his departure from formal leadership, Schultz has continued to engage publicly with Starbucks' direction and broader business issues. In June 2025, Schultz made a surprise appearance at Starbucks' Leadership Experience event in Las Vegas, joining CEO Brian Niccol. Schultz expressed strong support for Niccol's "back to Starbucks" strategy, which emphasized a return to the company's coffeehouse roots and the "third place" concept that had defined Schultz's own leadership philosophy.[17] In a joint discussion, Schultz and Niccol reflected on the company's legacy and the importance of delivering performance "through the lens of humanity."[18]

In July 2025, Schultz addressed Starbucks partners (employees) during a Quarterly Connect event, stating, "The world needs Starbucks," and expressing confidence in the company's future.[19]

In October 2025, Schultz spoke publicly about the risks of artificial intelligence, stating he was "Worried — with a big W" about AI and its implications for business and society.[20] In a separate interview, he discussed the topic of leading through uncertainty, emphasizing that "true leadership is defined in the toughest moments."[21]

Political Activities

Schultz has been politically active outside of his business career. He was a registered Democrat for most of his adult life before changing his affiliation to independent in 2019.

Schultz publicly considered running for President of the United States in three separate election cycles: 2012, 2016, and 2020. In each case, he explored the possibility of an independent candidacy but ultimately declined to enter the race. His 2020 exploration attracted significant media attention and criticism from Democratic politicians and strategists who feared that an independent candidacy could split the anti-Republican vote and aid the re-election of President Donald Trump.

Schultz's political positions have been characterized as socially liberal and fiscally moderate. In foreign policy, he has been described as a "liberal hawk," favoring American leadership in international affairs. In 2013, during a Starbucks shareholders' meeting, Schultz responded to a shareholder who objected to the company's support for same-sex marriage by telling the shareholder, "You can sell your shares."[22]

Personal Life

Schultz has two children. He established the Schultz Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on two primary areas: supporting military veterans and their families, and combating youth unemployment in the United States.[23] In 2015, Schultz wrote an op-ed in The New York Times discussing the challenge of connecting young people with employment opportunities.[24] The Chronicle of Philanthropy also reported on Schultz's philanthropic activities through the foundation.[25]

Schultz has authored four books on business and leadership. He has spoken publicly about how his upbringing in public housing in Brooklyn shaped his worldview and his approach to running Starbucks, particularly his emphasis on providing employee benefits such as health insurance and stock options to part-time workers.

Recognition

Schultz has received recognition from multiple organizations for his business leadership and philanthropic efforts. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund honored him with its National Equal Justice Award at the organization's 31st Annual National Equal Justice Awards ceremony.[26]

He has been featured on the Forbes list of the wealthiest Americans, ranked as the 209th-richest person in the United States in October 2020. Arizona State University selected Schultz as its commencement speaker in 2017, reflecting his profile in American business and public life.[27]

Media outlets have frequently profiled Schultz as a transformative figure in the American retail and food-service industries. His role in building Starbucks from a small chain of coffee bean retailers into the world's largest coffeehouse company has drawn comparisons to Ray Kroc's expansion of McDonald's. Fast Company noted in 2025 that even two years after retiring from the Starbucks board, Schultz's commentary on business and leadership continued to attract attention across the industry.[28]

Legacy

Schultz's impact on the American coffee industry and on retail culture is substantial. Before Starbucks' expansion under his leadership, specialty coffee was a niche market in the United States. Schultz's vision of the coffeehouse as a "third place" — a communal gathering space between home and work — redefined how Americans consumed coffee and how they thought about the coffeehouse experience. The model he built at Starbucks influenced countless competitors and imitators, and the company's global reach brought espresso-based beverages into the mainstream of American daily life.

His employee-relations policies, including health insurance for part-time workers and the Bean Stock equity program, set benchmarks in the retail and food-service industries and were frequently cited in discussions of corporate social responsibility. His commitment to fair trade sourcing standards during his second CEO tenure contributed to broader industry trends toward ethical supply-chain practices.

Schultz's aggressive expansion of Starbucks into China represented a significant strategic accomplishment, introducing coffee culture to one of the world's largest consumer markets. The company's Chinese operations grew to represent a major portion of Starbucks' international business.

His political explorations, while ultimately resulting in no candidacy, reflected broader debates in American politics about the role of independent candidates and business leaders in governance. Schultz's philanthropic work through the Schultz Family Foundation has focused on two areas — veterans' support and youth employment — that address significant social challenges in the United States.[29]

As of 2025, Schultz continued to engage publicly with questions of business leadership and corporate responsibility, participating in Starbucks company events and speaking on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to the fundamentals of customer-focused management.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "Howard Schultz: How to Do Good and Do Good Business".Masters of Scale.https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Schultz Family Foundation".Schultz Family Foundation.http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Howard Schultz".Entrepreneur.http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Howard Schultz".Entrepreneur.http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Howard Schultz".Entrepreneur.http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229728.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "ASU commencement speaker Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz".Arizona State University.2017-03-13.https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Howard Schultz: How to Do Good and Do Good Business".Masters of Scale.https://mastersofscale.com/howard-schultz-how-to-do-good-and-do-good-business/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Starbucks Coffee Announces Initial Public Offering".The Free Library.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/STARBUCKS%20COFFEE%20ANNOUNCES%20INITIAL%20PUBLIC%20OFFERING-a012370965.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Starbucks Coffee Company CEO Transition".Starbucks.https://web.archive.org/web/20080117121159/http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=818.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Seattle Super Bowl scores points for Paul Allen, sacks Howard Schultz".TheStreet.http://www.thestreet.com/story/12287415/1/seattle-super-bowl-scores-points-for-paul-allen-sacks-howard-schultz.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Trial coverage".Seattle Post-Intelligencer.http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/369313_trial03.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Poll".Seattle Post-Intelligencer.http://www.seattlepi.com/polls/popup.asp?pollID=2983.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Schultz and the Sonics".The Seattle Times.https://web.archive.org/web/20080419015637/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004349361_schultz15.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Starbucks Coffee Company CEO Transition".Starbucks.https://web.archive.org/web/20080117121159/http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=818.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Peter Mandelson Starbucks Economy".The Guardian.2009-02-19.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/feb/19/peter-mandelson-starbucks-economy.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Howard Schultz says he 'did a cartwheel' when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined 'back to Starbucks' strategy".CNBC.2025-06-11.https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/starbucks-howard-schultz-backs-ceo-brian-niccol.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Howard Schultz says he 'did a cartwheel' when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined 'back to Starbucks' strategy".CNBC.2025-06-11.https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/starbucks-howard-schultz-backs-ceo-brian-niccol.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Brian Niccol and Howard Schultz on reclaiming the third place and delivering performance 'through the lens of humanity'".Starbucks.2025-06-11.https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/brian-niccol-and-howard-schultz-on-reclaiming-the-third-place-and-delivering-performance-through-the-lens-of-humanity/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Starbucks founder Howard Schultz joins CEO Brian Niccol during partner Quarterly Connect".Starbucks.2025-07-31.https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/starbucks-founder-howard-schultz-joins-ceo-brian-niccol-during-partner-quarterly-connect/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Howard Schultz Said He's Worried — 'With a Big W' — About AI".Business Insider.2025-10-14.https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-worried-about-ai-2025-10.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz On Leading Through Uncertainty".Forbes.2025-10-19.https://www.forbes.com/sites/julianhayesii/2025/10/19/former-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-on-leading-through-uncertainty/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ AllenFrederickFrederick"Howard Schultz to Anti-Gay-Marriage Starbucks Shareholder: 'You Can Sell Your Shares'".Forbes.2013-03-22.https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2013/03/22/howard-schultz-to-anti-gay-marriage-starbucks-shareholder-you-can-sell-your-shares/#4aed60586511.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Schultz Family Foundation".Schultz Family Foundation.http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ SchultzHowardHoward"Connecting Young People With Jobs".The New York Times.2015-07-13.https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/opinion/connecting-young-people-with-jobs.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "Starbucks's Schultz Opens New Foundation".Chronicle of Philanthropy.https://philanthropy.com/article/Starbuckss-Schultz-Opens-New/228699.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ "A Moment Now: NAACP Legal Defense 31st Annual National Equal Justice Awards".NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.http://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/moment-now-naacp-legal-31st-annual-national-equal-justice-awards.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "ASU commencement speaker Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz".Arizona State University.2017-03-13.https://asunow.asu.edu/20170313-asu-news-commencement-speaker-starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  28. ↑ "Howard Schultz isn't running Starbucks anymore—but his latest warning should make every CEO listen".Fast Company.2025-10-16.https://www.fastcompany.com/91422968/howard-schultz-starbucks-warning-should-make-every-ceo-listen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  29. ↑ "Schultz Family Foundation".Schultz Family Foundation.http://www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org/#tab-switcher-1.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  30. ↑ "Starbucks founder Howard Schultz joins CEO Brian Niccol during partner Quarterly Connect".Starbucks.2025-07-31.https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/starbucks-founder-howard-schultz-joins-ceo-brian-niccol-during-partner-quarterly-connect/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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