Thomas Stemberg

Harvard alumni Thomas Stemberg started out in the Grocery business in the 1970s. Through Star Market he developed and introduced  generic brand foods. This idea was a first dismissed as out there, but has since proved to be an industry standard. After his success there he joined First National Supermarkets and brought the business back on it feet but was let go when the company sold off his division.

In in the 1980s he and former rival Leo Kahn teamed up to form Staples. The company is now based out of Framingham, Massachusetts and revolutionized the way office supplies are purchased. He envisioned it as a Toys R Us for office supplies.

Stemberg currently is a managing partner at Highland Capital Ventures’ Consumer Fund.  “ Venture Capital is a perfect third act for a guy like me” was what he said in a January 2007 Inc interview.