Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, will be at the UCLA Anderson School of Management as a distinguished speaker today, and this evening he will be recognized for his exemplary leadership style and service to the community with the John Wooden Global Leadership Award.
Schultz will be the first ever recipient of this award, said Susanna Park, a spokeswoman for UCLA. Each year, one exceptional leader will be honored. The annual awards dinner will serve as a fundraiser to provide for John Wooden Leadership Fellowships, according to a press release. These fellowships are awarded annually to two Anderson MBA students who have displayed value-based leadership.
Al Osborne, senior associate dean at the Anderson School of Business, said a committee chose Schultz as the recipient of this award from a select, short list of candidates.
“(We chose him because) he is a quintessential entrepreneur. He thought outside the box … and engaged in the uncommon positioning of old ideas,” he said.
Dean Judy Olian said in a press release that Schultz embodies the qualities underlying coach Wooden’s leadership philosophy and is an inspiring choice for the award.
“John Wooden is an illustrious leader, and we are thrilled to present the first John Wooden Global Leadership Award to one of the most influential business leaders of today,” she said.
During his speech on Wednesday afternoon, Schultz will be speaking to business students who are training to become the next leaders of the business world.
Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982, when the company only had four stores in the Seattle area. He was inspired by the culture and romance of an Italian coffee bar during his trip to Italy in 1983. He returned home with the dream of bringing the Italian coffeehouse tradition to the United States. In 1987, he and a local group of investors purchased Starbucks.
Under his leadership, the company has grown to more than 16,000 stores in 44 countries.
Osborne said he hopes aspiring business students will learn from Schultz’s ability to think outside of the box.
“He saw a need in his niche and was prepared to execute his vision for a different kind of experience with coffee,” he said.
But this won’t be the only time Schultz’s presence will be felt on campus.
Osbourne said Schultz will interact with UCLA in the future, as he hopes to help inspire the next generation of business leaders.
“Part of what we’re trying to do is inaugurate this leadership program. (Schultz) will be coming back to campus from time to time,” he said.
The speaking engagement with Schultz begins at 11:45 a.m. in Korn Convocation Hall. Students are encouraged to arrive early to guarantee a spot in the discussion.