Howard Schultz, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks, first walked into Starbucks in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1981. Howard was invited into conversation with these connoisseurs who took great care in not only finding and roasting the highest quality coffee, but also sharing their passion with others. Drawn to Seattle and its extraordinary coffee culture, Howard moved from his native New York and joined Starbucks, in 1982, as director of operations and marketing when Starbucks had only four stores.