“I was born on the other side of the tracks, in public housing in Brooklyn, New York. My dad never made more than $20,000 a year, and I grew up in a family that lost health insurance. So I was scarred at a young age with understanding what it was like to watch my parents lose access to the American dream.”

American businessman and author

Howard D. Schultz is an American businessman and author. He led Starbucks as chairman and chief executive officer from 1986 to 2000, returned to those roles from 2008 to 2017, and later served as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. He is best known for his long association with Starbucks and for helping guide the company over several decades. He also owned the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team from 2001 to 2006, adding sports ownership to a career built in business and writing.