Early Life and Education
Edward W. Stack was born in 1954 or 1955 and grew up in Binghamton, New York. His father, Richard “Dick” Stack, founded Dick's Sporting Goods in 1948. Stack graduated from Binghamton North High School where he played baseball and football. In 1977, he received a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in accounting from St. John Fisher College.
Rise to Success
In the early 1980s, Edward Stack and his siblings purchased Dick's Sporting Goods from their father, when the company had only two locations. He became chairman and CEO in 1984, after his father retired. He opened new stores, established a board of directors, and moved the company's headquarters to Pittsburgh in 1994. He took the company public in 2002. As of 2010, Stack owned approximately 25% of the company's common stock and nearly two-thirds of its voting shares. He was succeeded as CEO by Lauren Hobart in February 2021.
Key Business Strategies
Under Edward Stack's leadership, Dick's Sporting Goods expanded significantly. He spearheaded the opening of new stores and the establishment of a board of directors. He also relocated the company's headquarters. In 2018, the company stopped selling assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines. Stack was also responsible for launching the 'House of Sport' concept stores which are much larger than the flagship locations.
Philanthropy
Stack led the company’s initiatives through The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter program. The program has pledged $170 million USD for youth sports initiatives.
