Howard Schultz is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX). Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953, he was raised in the public housing projects of Canarsie and was the first in his family to graduate college. His childhood instilled a deep drive to succeed and a profound commitment to using business as a vehicle for social good and employee welfare.

Schultz earned a B.S. degree in communication from Northern Michigan University in 1975 (on a football scholarship). His career began in sales, selling appliances (including European coffee makers), which led him to notice a small operation in Seattle called Starbucks Coffee Tea and Spice Company.

Howard Schultz joined Starbucks as Director of Retail Operations and Marketing in 1982 (when the company only sold coffee beans). In 1983, a trip to Milan, Italy, inspired his strategic genius: he realized Starbucks should sell coffee drinks and cultivate a sense of community—the concept of the modern coffee bar. After the founders rejected the idea, Schultz left and founded his own coffee company, Il Giornale.

In 1987, Schultz purchased Starbucks, merging it with Il Giornale. Under his leadership as CEO and Executive Chairman, Starbucks expanded from 11 stores to more than 28,000 stores in 77 countries. He pioneered groundbreaking employee programs (comprehensive healthcare, stock ownership, and free college tuition for part-time employees). He led the company's 1992 IPO and has overseen immense shareholder returns. Since leaving Starbucks, he has focused on his political ventures (exploring a presidential run) and philanthropy through the Schultz Family Foundation.

• Starbucks Corporation (Founder & Former CEO/Chairman): The core asset, the dominant global coffee retail chain (over 28,000 stores).
• Employee Welfare: He pioneered comprehensive healthcare and stock ownership for full and part-time employees.
• Il Giornale (Founder): The coffee company he started after leaving the original Starbucks, which he later merged with the acquired Starbucks.
• Schultz Family Foundation (Co-founder): Focuses on creating opportunity and helping young people transition to adulthood.

Howard Schultz's social impact is massive and structural, tied to Starbucks' role in defining modern coffee culture and his pioneering of industry-leading employee benefits. The provision of comprehensive healthcare and free college tuition for part-time employees is a massive structural contribution to U.S. labor practices.

His personal philanthropy, through the Schultz Family Foundation, focuses on social justice, public-private partnerships, and addressing homelessness and opportunity gaps for veterans and youth.

Howard Schultz maintains the professional, composed style of a corporate CEO and public figure. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic is one of stability and compassionate authority, reflecting his commitment to social change.

Residing in Seattle, Washington, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to corporate governance, social advocacy, and the long-term stewardship of the Starbucks legacy.