Steve Odland

Steve Odland
Born	1958
Education	University of Notre Dame (BA), Kellogg School of Management (Master's in management)
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	President and CEO of The Conference Board; former chairman and CEO of Office Depot and AutoZone; president and CEO of Tops Markets and Committee for Economic Development

Steve Odland is an American executive currently holding the position of president and CEO at The Conference Board. His previous leadership roles include chairman and CEO of both Office Depot, Inc. and AutoZone, Inc., as well as president and CEO of Tops Markets and the Committee for Economic Development.

Early life and education

Odland completed his high school education at Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree in management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Career

Since June 2018, Odland has been at the helm of The Conference Board, an international non-profit organization dedicated to business membership and research, representing over 1,000 members across 60 countries. The entity concentrates on areas such as Economy, Strategy & Finance; Public Policy/Committee for Economic Development; Marketing & Communications; Human Capital; and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). It delivers vital economic metrics including US Consumer Confidence, CEO Confidence, Help Wanted OnLine, Job Satisfaction, CEO priorities, CEO succession trends, boardroom diversity, and public policy matters. Odland also hosts the weekly podcast C-Suite Perspectives, offering valuable insights tailored for business leaders.

Between 2013 and 2018, he served as president and CEO of the Committee for Economic Development, a business-driven public policy group providing analysis and solutions on significant economic challenges. In 2017, Odland co-authored Sustaining Capitalism: Bipartisan Solutions to Restore Trust & Prosperity, which presents approaches to fostering sustainable capitalism. The publication gained attention from leading financial outlets such as Fortune (magazine), Yahoo! Finance, Bloomberg, and CNBC.

Odland’s professional journey began at the Quaker Oats Company, where he progressed through multiple divisions from 1981 until 1996. He then led Sara Lee Bakery’s Foodservice Division as president from 1996 to 1998 before assuming the role of president and CEO at Tops Friendly Markets until 2000.

From 2001 through 2005, Odland was president, chairman, and CEO of AutoZone, managing over $5.6 billion in net sales with roughly 3,500 stores and a workforce of approximately 45,000 across the United States and Mexico. During his tenure, he established corporate governance policies and launched initiatives such as the “40-headed CEO,” a monthly executive review designed to enhance accountability.

Recognized as top new CEO in 2002 by Bloomberg Markets Magazine, Odland subsequently led Office Depot as chairman and CEO from 2005 until 2010. Under his leadership, Office Depot introduced acclaimed environmental programs including green product lines and energy conservation efforts. His dedication to diversity earned the company several honors: it was named among leading firms promoting women executives by the National Association for Female Executives; received Florida Corporation of The Year from the Women's Business Development Council; and was recognized by DiversityBusiness.com for fostering multicultural business opportunities. Additionally, Office Depot developed a Supply Chain Diversity catalog highlighting Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBZone). After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Office Depot Foundation contributed to relief efforts supporting organizations like Doctors Without Borders.

In 2007, Odland was awarded Business Leader of the Year by Florida Atlantic University. From 2011 to 2012, he served as an adjunct professor at both Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University.

In 2024, he received the Foreign Policy Association Medal in recognition of his efforts to broaden public awareness of global affairs through his leadership at The Conference Board—a distinction previously awarded to notable international figures.

He is featured in publications such as Nobodies to Somebodies: How 100 Great Careers Got Their Start and Leaders on Ethics: Real-world Perspectives on Today’s Business Challenges.

Odland holds a position on the board of directors at General Mills, Inc., acts as a Trustee for The Conference Board, and is affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations. He regularly contributes to CNBC, frequently appears on CBS News, and formerly wrote for Forbes.

His former appointments include director at Analogic Corporation, membership in the Business Roundtable—where he chaired its Corporate Governance Taskforce—U.S. Presidential appointee commissioner on the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, participant in the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation, Presidential appointee on the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, advisory roles with corporate ethics organizations and Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Chairman of Memphis Tomorrow, and member of the Florida Council of 100.