John Mackey (businessman)
| John Mackey | |
|---|---|
John Mackey, May 2009
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| Born |
August 15, 1953 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Residence | Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater |
University of Texas at Austin Trinity University |
| Occupation | CEO of Whole Foods Market |
| Salary | US$1 |
| Net worth | US$ 100 million |
| Spouse(s) | Deborah Mackey |
| Parent(s) | Bill and Margaret Mackey |
John Mackey (born August 15, 1953) is an American businessman. He is the current CEO of Whole Foods Market, which he co-founded in 1980. Named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003, Mackey is a strong supporter of free market economics, has strong anti-union views, and co-wrote the best-selling book Conscious Capitalism, which was released in 2013. He is one of the most influential advocates in the movement for organic food.
Mackey was born on August 15, 1953 in Houston, Texas, to Bill and Margaret Mackey. He has a sister and a brother.
Bill Mackey was a professor of accounting, CEO of LifeMark, a health-care company, and investor of Whole Foods Market, before he died in 2004. In the abstract to the book: Conscious Capitalism, Mackey thanks his father for teaching him valuable life lessons.
Mackey’s mother, on the other hand, did not influence him in the same way. Margaret Mackey died in 1987, making John thirty-four years of age when he lost his mother. John and Margaret had a strained relationship, partly due to her desire for a different future regarding her son. Margaret felt that such a “fine mind” should devote their time doing something more productive than retailing. John did not agree, but in later years he regretted that he did not make it more clear that he loved her.
Mackey was a student of philosophy and religion at the University of Texas at Austin and Trinity University in the 1970s, and worked at a vegetarian co-op. Mackey spent almost six years studying various topics, deciding to focus solely on his interests and not purely seek out a degree. Mackey credits his generalist approach to learning as the main reason he was able to be successful in business. Mackey, who was a vegetarian for 30 years, now identifies as a vegan.
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