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Howard Schultz
| Howard Schultz | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Organization: | Starbucks |
| Role: | Former chairman and CEO |
| Location: | Seattle, Washington |
| Education: | Northern Michigan University |
| Website: | Official website |
Howard Schultz is the former chairman and CEO of Starbucks, serving in that role from 1987 to 2000 and 2008 to 2018.[1] In January 2019, Schultz said that he was considering a presidential run as an independent candidate. He announced he would not launch an independent 2020 run on September 6, 2019.[2]
Career
Schultz graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in communications. He worked as an appliance salesman and later director of sales for the coffeemaker company Hammerplast. In 1982, he was hired as director of retail operations and marketing for Starbucks. After disagreeing with the owners over the direction of the company, he left Starbucks to open Il Giornale, a coffee bar chain, in 1985. Schultz later purchased Starbucks and merged it with Il Giornale.[3]
Schultz served as chairman of Starbucks until 2000 and returned to lead the company from 2008 to 2018.[3]
Work and activities
Book tour and possible 2020 independent presidential run
In early 2019, Schultz embarked on a promotional tour for his book, From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America. The tour was also designed to allow Schultz to measure voter interest in his candidacy and a potential third-party run.[4]
"The stakes are too high to cross our fingers and hope the Democratic Party nominates a moderate who can win over enough independents and disaffected Republicans, and even fellow Democrats, to defeat Trump next year. That any opponent can oust Trump, no matter how far to the radical left they are, is a fallacy," Schultz said.[5]
Electoral activities and influence
Washington Referendum 74 on gay marriage
In 2012, Schultz expressed support for Washington Referendum 74, a ballot measure seeking to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of Washington. Starbucks also publicly endorsed the measure, which was approved on November 6, 2012.[6]
Schultz defended the decision in 2013 after a shareholder said it negatively affected the company's earnings. Schultz said at the company's annual meeting that "it is not an economic decision to me. The lens in which we are making that decision is through the lens of our people. We employ over 200,000 people in this company, and we want to embrace diversity. Of all kinds."[7]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Biography, "Howard Schultz," accessed April 3, 2019
- ↑ Politico, "Howard Schultz announces he will not run for president," September 6, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Biography, "Howard Schultz," accessed August 8, 2025
- ↑ CNBC, "Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz likely to visit early caucus and primary states as he considers running for president," January 30, 2019
- ↑ Vanity Fair, "Howard Schultz: 'I Firmly Believe' Americans Want a President Just Like Me," February 19, 2019
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Starbucks supports gay marriage legislation," January 24, 2012
- ↑ Forbes, "Howard Schultz to Anti-Gay-Marriage Starbucks Shareholder: 'You Can Sell Your Shares,'" March 22, 2013
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