Charles Butt
Charles Butt is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of H-E-B. Charles has been a full-time executive of H-E-B his entire adult life and is involved in all phases of management. He graduated from the Wharton School of Finance with a degree in Economics and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of Harvard Business School.
Charles succeeded his father as company president in 1971 and as chairman of the board in 1984. Since then, H-E-B, which operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, has grown sales from $221 million to over $25 billion. Charles continues to lead the company into a new era, making the H-E-B brand synonymous with quality products and low prices.
Innovation, a company hallmark since the very beginning, has become even more important under Charles’ leadership. The desire to constantly grow and change has led to new store concepts, the creation of one of the most successful private label programs in the country and the commitment to build out state-of-the-art digital products and services to complement H-E-B’s world-class stores.
His deep commitment to his Partners is reflected in the company’s establishment of the Partner Stock Plan, which has granted company stock to more than 63,000 Partners, rewarding their work, dedication and loyalty. As the largest privately-held employer in the state, H-E-B employs more than 110,000 Partners and serves millions of customers throughout more than 300 communities in Texas and Mexico.
As part of its philanthropic mission, H-E-B supports a broad spectrum of non-profit organizations and civic activities, including education, hunger relief, military, health and wellness, social services, the environment, diversity and the arts. Annually, the retailer donates 5% of its pre-tax earnings to charitable causes.
A champion for public education and literacy, Charles has developed several initiatives, including Raise Your Hand Texas, a nonprofit advocacy organization that works to strengthen public education in Texas. In 2017, Charles established The Holdsworth Center, investing $100 million of his personal wealth to create a nonprofit leadership institute for Texas public school administrators. Additionally, The Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers provides annual funding for up to four years as well as training and development opportunities with established public educators. This year, about 100 scholarships will be awarded through 10 partnering universities and the cohort expects to grow to include 500 teaching scholars annually.
Charles succeeded his father as company president in 1971 and as chairman of the board in 1984. Since then, H-E-B, which operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, has grown sales from $221 million to over $25 billion. Charles continues to lead the company into a new era, making the H-E-B brand synonymous with quality products and low prices.
Innovation, a company hallmark since the very beginning, has become even more important under Charles’ leadership. The desire to constantly grow and change has led to new store concepts, the creation of one of the most successful private label programs in the country and the commitment to build out state-of-the-art digital products and services to complement H-E-B’s world-class stores.
His deep commitment to his Partners is reflected in the company’s establishment of the Partner Stock Plan, which has granted company stock to more than 63,000 Partners, rewarding their work, dedication and loyalty. As the largest privately-held employer in the state, H-E-B employs more than 110,000 Partners and serves millions of customers throughout more than 300 communities in Texas and Mexico.
As part of its philanthropic mission, H-E-B supports a broad spectrum of non-profit organizations and civic activities, including education, hunger relief, military, health and wellness, social services, the environment, diversity and the arts. Annually, the retailer donates 5% of its pre-tax earnings to charitable causes.
A champion for public education and literacy, Charles has developed several initiatives, including Raise Your Hand Texas, a nonprofit advocacy organization that works to strengthen public education in Texas. In 2017, Charles established The Holdsworth Center, investing $100 million of his personal wealth to create a nonprofit leadership institute for Texas public school administrators. Additionally, The Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers provides annual funding for up to four years as well as training and development opportunities with established public educators. This year, about 100 scholarships will be awarded through 10 partnering universities and the cohort expects to grow to include 500 teaching scholars annually.