Howard D. Schultz (born July 19, 1953)[2] is an American businessman and author who was the chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000, from 2008 to 2017, and interim CEO from 2022 to 2023.

He orchestrated multiple acquisitions of American and Chinese beverage companies, introduced a national loyalty program, and enforced fair trade standards.

In 1979, he was recruited by French private equity firm PAI Partners in 1979 to be general manager of a Swedish kitchenware manufacturer's U.S. subsidiary, Hammarplast.

[21] On his return, he worked to persuade company owners Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker to offer traditional espresso beverages in addition to the whole bean coffee, leaf teas, and spices.

[34][41] Schultz redoubled and enforced the firm's fair trade and ethical source policies for their coffee bean supply-chain in Africa and other coffee-producing countries.

[50] Kevin Johnson, the firm's president and chief operating officer for the previous two years, succeeded Schultz as CEO while Myron Ullman took over as chairman in June 2018.

Jeff Bailey, of the Los Angeles Times, called the book "self-flattering" and criticized its "mostly perfunctory account of Starbucks' actual problems".

[74] In writing a review for The Wall Street Journal U.S. Army major general Robert H. Scales stated "after reading this moving book I'll not likely pass a Starbucks again without stopping for a patriotic cup.

[83][84] Reuters rated the book highly, yet called it "caffeine free" for its inability to "harness his business success" in a potential White House run.

[88] Schultz supports free trade, a balanced budget, comprehensive tax reform, gun control, and same-sex marriage.

[89][90] Schultz hosted a fundraiser in his Seattle home for John Edwards during the 2008 presidential election cycle, eventually donating to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

It would allow unions to form by simply gathering a majority of signatures in the workplace, what is known as a "card check", obviating the need to have secret ballot union-elections.

"[97]In 2022, as union organizing campaigns started to form at Starbucks, and gain victories, Schultz held a town hall meeting as he returned to the company as interim CEO.

These terminations took place despite a notice of formal complaint from the National Labor Relations Board against the retaliatory practices Starbucks had taken against employees who were working to unionize the corporation.

In response to most of the questions Schultz gave the same answer: "I support the law, and I also take offense with you categorizing me or Starbucks as a union buster when that is not true.

[104] During his exploratory 2020 presidential campaign, Schultz explained to multiple media outlets that, if elected, he wished to exclusively legislate with bipartisan support.

"[112] President Barack Obama's chief economist, Jason Furman, was critical of Schultz's hard-lined "obsessive" position against sovereign debt: "America is not a company."

[122] He opposed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's proposal to raise the marginal tax rate on income over $10 million to 70%, saying it was "punitive" and contrary to the American Dream.

[122] In 2017, Schultz got into a highly publicized argument with President Trump after he instructed Starbucks to disregard an executive order barring Syrian refugees into the country.

[133] Within 24 hours of the executive order, Schultz wrote to his employees that recent immigrants and refugees, particularly those with strong ties to the U.S. military, would be fast-tracked to employment.

[136] In 2014, Schultz authored his first non-business book, For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice, co-written with Rajiv Chandrasekaran.

[137][138] Over a radio interview in March 2019, when asked if he would be an effective commander-in-chief, Schultz responded: "I probably have spent more time in the last decade certainly than anyone running for president with the military.

[91] After he instructed Starbucks employees in Washington to write "come together" on all cups to encourage bipartisanship in the federal government on December 26, press speculation intensified.

[104] In late September and early August 2015, press speculation began to surface about a potential run in the upcoming 2016 United States presidential election for Schultz.

[159] Maureen Dowd, of The New York Times, broke a story on August 1 that friends of "America's lord of latte, Howard Schultz, have been pressing him to join the Democratic primary.

However, a CNN analysis believed that "running on a deficit-reduction platform might end up syphoning as many Republican moderates away from Trump as liberals or independents away from the Democratic nominee.

"[174] In May 2019, Schultz delayed his decision and by September 6, officially ruled out a presidential run, stating that it wasn't the best way to "serve our country at this time.

"[175] The eventual progression of candidate Joe Biden as the presumptive nominee motivated Schultz to step aside due to their overlapping political ideologies.

[136] In 1998, Schultz received the 'Israel 50th Anniversary Tribute Award' for "playing a key role in promoting a close alliance between the United States and Israel".

[194] Schultz spoke at the 2017 Arizona State University commencement ceremony and was presented with an honorary Doctor of humane letters degree.