David Green (entrepreneur)
| David Green | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 13, 1941 Emporia, Kansas, US |
| Residence | Oklahoma City |
| Known for | Founder of Hobby Lobby |
| Net worth |
 US$ 6.4 billion(April 2016)[1] |
| Religion | Pentecostal Christian |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara Green |
| Children |
Mart Green Steve Green Darsee Lett |
David Green (born November 13, 1941) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Hobby Lobby, a chain of arts and crafts stores.
Early life
Green comes from a family of preachers[2] and says he has built his business squarely on biblical principles:[3] "We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles."
Career
In 1970 Green took a $600 loan and started a home business called Greco Products in his garage assembling and selling miniature picture frames, capitalizing on a decorating fad of the time.[3] By August 1972 the business had thrived to such an extent that they were able to open their first store which had 300 square feet of retail space.[4]
Philanthropy and public positions
Green commits half of Hobby Lobby's total pretax earnings to a portfolio of evangelical ministries and as of 2012, he has donated an estimated $500 million.[5] Green has taken a public stance against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act because of its inclusion of a provision mandating that companies include the "morning-after pill" in their health coverage, which he considers to be an abortifacient.[6]
Personal life
Green lives in southwest Oklahoma City with his wife Barbara. They have three children. One son, Mart Green, is the founder and CEO of Mardel Christian and Educational Supply and of Every Tribe Entertainment while his other son Steve Green is President of Hobby Lobby. His daughter, Darsee Lett, is Creative Director for the Hobby Lobby stores.[3]
References
- ↑ Forbes: "The World's Billionaires - David Green" January 2015
- ↑ The Giving Pledge. givingpledge.org. Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
- 1 2 3 Every Day Christian" "Believers in the Business World: The Green Family" by Jason Karpf April 28, 2009
- ↑ Hobby Lobby Corporate history. Hobbylobby.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
- ↑ David Green: The Biblical Billionaire Backing The Evangelical Movement. Forbes.com (2012-09-18). Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
- ↑ Hobby Lobby Plan To Defy Obamacare. Huffingtonpost.com (2012-12-28). Retrieved on 2012-12-28.