Zev Siegl
Zev Siegl | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 28, 1942 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, speaker, presenter |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Starbucks |
Zev Siegl (born December 28, 1942) is a prominent American speaker and presenter specializing in keynote addresses. In 1971, he co-established Starbucks alongside Gordon Bowker and Jerry Baldwin and held a position as a director throughout the company's initial ten years.
Early life
Siegl was born in Detroit, Michigan, and was raised in a Jewish household. His father, Henry Siegl (1911–1997), was a distinguished concert violinist who served as the concertmaster for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra for 26 years beginning in 1956. That year, Siegl relocated with his family to Seattle. His mother, Eleanor Shapiro Siegl (1917–1996), was an educator who founded The Little School, one of the earliest preschools in Seattle, which is now situated in Kirkland, Washington.
Career
In March 1971, Siegl partnered with Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker to launch Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington. Prior to this venture, Siegl worked as a public school history teacher and became Starbucks' first compensated employee. He acknowledges significant guidance from Alfred Peet, who managed a successful chain of coffee shops, as instrumental in shaping Starbucks' direction. After serving for ten years as vice president and director, Siegl departed Starbucks when the company had expanded to six retail locations in the Seattle area along with a wholesale division.
Following his tenure at Starbucks, Siegl established multiple enterprises, including Quartermaine Coffee Roasters based in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC. From 2004 to 2012, he served as lead advisor at the federally supported Washington Small Business Development Center, where he directly assisted over 500 entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses.
Since 2013, Siegl has delivered keynote speeches at major entrepreneurial and business events around the globe—including cities such as Kuwait City, Santiago, Kuala Lumpur, Johannesburg, Warsaw, and Mexico City—addressing audiences that have surpassed 10,000 participants. Additionally, he has presented for leading corporations like IBM.
Siegl also mentors MBA students at Seattle's Foster School of Business (University of Washington) and Albers School of Business and Economics (Seattle University), providing coaching support to select first-time business founders.
Personal life
Siegl lives in Seattle, Washington, and is married to artist Robin Siegl.