Richard M. Schulze is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY), the largest specialty consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. His career is rooted in entrepreneurial audacity, retail logistics, and scale expansion.

Schulze left school early and served in the U.S. Air Force. His entrepreneurial journey began with a single audio components store in 1966 in St. Paul, Minnesota. His philosophical approach centers on scale, disruption (pioneering the big-box consumer electronics retail model), and long-term commitment to customer service.

• Best Buy Co., Inc. (Founder & Chairman Emeritus): The core publicly traded asset, the largest specialty consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. and a major provider of technology services.
• Retail Pioneer: His success is built on scale retail and dominating the domestic market for consumer electronics and appliances (successfully navigating the transition to online retail).
• Academic Note: He left school early and served in the U.S. Air Force.
• Philanthropy: He founded the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, committed to education and health (donating $100 million to the University of St. Thomas).

Richard Schulze's strategic genius was his commitment to scale and the 'big-box' model. He founded Sound of Music (later rebranded as Best Buy in 1983) and successfully pioneered the consumer electronics warehouse format, offering deep discounts and scale inventory. His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the modern electronics superstore model that transformed U.S. retail.

The company successfully executed its IPO on the NYSE. He retired as Chairman Emeritus in 2013 (returning briefly during a turnaround period). His wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable profitability of the global consumer electronics retail sector.

Richard Schulze's social impact is structural, stemming from Best Buy's role as a massive national employer and foundational provider of consumer electronics and technology services. His Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation provides a massive structural contribution to education and healthcare (donating $100 million to the University of St. Thomas). His structural contribution is tied to the successful industrialization and scale of the consumer electronics retail sector.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

Richard Schulze maintains the professional, pragmatic style of a corporate executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a leader in the global retail sector.

Residing in Bonita Springs, Florida, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to retail scale, strategic management, and philanthropy.