Stew Leonard Jr.

Stew Leonard Jr. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Stew Leonard’s, a family-owned farm fresh food retailer known for its customer service, in-store entertainment, and innovative approach to grocery retail. Under his leadership since 1991, the company has expanded from a single store in Norwalk, Connecticut to seven food stores across Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, along with eight family-run wine stores. Today, Stew Leonard’s employs over 2,500 team members, serves more than 20 million visitors annually, and generates over $500 million in sales.

Named one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” for 10 consecutive years, Stew Leonard’s has also earned recognition from the New York Times as “The Disneyland of Dairy Stores” and was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for achieving the highest sales per square foot of any food store in the United States.

A frequent commentator on food and retail trends, Leonard has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Good Morning America, and CBS This Morning. He is also known for the "Mashed Potato Index," a lighthearted yet effective indicator of economic and consumer trends.

Leonard holds a degree in Accounting from Ithaca College and an MBA from UCLA. He has received an honorary Doctorate from Quinnipiac University and has been active in community service throughout his career. Currently, he focuses much of his time on water safety advocacy through the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, which has raised $6 million and provides over 10,000 free or low-cost swim lessons annually to children.

He lives in Westport, Connecticut with his wife, Kim, and is the father of four daughters and grandfather to three grandchildren. He is also an instrument-rated seaplane pilot and a black belt in karate.