Michael Feuer
(Pronounced “Foyer”)
Cofounder and Former CEO of OfficeMax
Now CEO of Max-Ventures
A Private Equity and Consulting Firm
Michael Feuer has over 35 years experience as a corporate executive/CEO, entrepreneur, management consultant, venture capitalist, national awarding-winning syndicated columnist, speaker, and author.
Currently he is Managing Director and CEO of Max-Ventures, a private equity and consulting firm focusing on advising and investing in retail, ecommerce and a variety of marketing companies including health and wellness specialty businesses.
Mr. Feuer cofounded and for 15 years was Chairman and CEO of the publicly held office products superstore chain OfficeMax. He sold OfficeMax in December 2003 generating $1.5 billion for shareholders of which he was the largest individual, non- institutional investor. OfficeMax opened its first store in suburban Cleveland in the summer of 1988 with $20,000 of Mr. Feuer’s own money, combined with investments by an initial partner and a small group of other investors. During the ensuing years under his very hands-on leadership, OfficeMax grew to an international retail powerhouse with revenues of approximately $5 billion, almost 1,000 locations, a major internet/catalog business unit, and direct sales force throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and in Asia and South America.
Prior to founding OfficeMax, Mr. Feuer spent 15 years at Jo-Ann Fabrics, a publicly held, New York Stock Exchange listed company with almost 1,000 stores throughout the country. When he left Jo-Ann to create OfficeMax, he was the craft and fabric retailer’s Senior Vice President and a member of its Executive Management Committee.
Mr. Feuer has received numerous awards for his business achievements during his career, including, while at OfficeMax, being named Discount Store News Specialty Discounter of the Year, recognizing Mr. Feuer for leading OfficeMax to become one of only four companies in the United States ever to reach $3 billion in sales in less than nine years.
A frequent guest lecturer, Mr. Feuer, speaks at leading universities and organizations throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has authored numerous articles and since 2004 has written a national monthly award-winning syndicated column titled “Tips from the Top” in Smart Business Magazine, which is published in multi key major markets across the country and posted on the Web at: http://www.sbnonline.com/, providing insights on fostering and building entrepreneurial organizations.
In June 2011 Mr. Feuer’s first book, The Benevolent Dictator, was published by John Wiley & Sons. The book chronicles his step-by-step strategy on how to build a business, empower employees, outwit the competition and create wealth for investors. It is available at book stores and online at eBook sites such as Amazon.com and directly from www.thebenevolentdictator.biz. His lastest book Tips from the Top pulished in late Spring 2015 is also available at Amazon.com and directly from www.tipsfromthetop.biz.
Mr. Feuer also serves on the Boards of several leading companies, and is an advisor to an international private equity/venture capital firm. He also served two terms on The New Stock Exchange Board of Directors’ Listed Company Advisory Committee.
In the philanthropic and academic sector, Mr. Feuer is a member of numerous Boards of Directors, including University Hospitals Case Medical Centers of Cleveland, OH, where he serves on a number of committees including Finance and The President’s Advisory Council. He is founding Chairman of the National Leadership Council for this Hospital’s top-ranked Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. Mr. Feuer has also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of NCH Healthcare System of Naples, FL, and is a member of Case Western University of Cleveland President’s Advisory Committee.
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