Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX – News) announced today that David A. Pace has been named executive vice president, Partner Resources, effective July 26th. In this position, Pace leads the 270-person Partner Resources Department and is responsible for all partner (employee) recruitment, retention, and benefits programs, as well as related organizational strategies. He reports directly to Starbucks president and chief executive officer, Orin Smith.
“Dave brings a strong combination of human resources skills and experience in the leadership of multi-unit retail and consumer products companies,” said Smith. “We are confident that he will provide business leadership and direction to help meet our operating and strategic goals. We are delighted to have someone of his professional caliber join our organization.”
Pace, 43, joins Starbucks from i2 Technologies, a Dallas-based software company, where he had served as executive vice president and chief people officer since November 2000.
Prior to joining i2, Pace served as senior vice president and chief people officer for HomeGrocer.com, a Seattle-based Internet start-up selling and delivering groceries to the home. This business grew from 300 to 2,500 employees in less than one year before being sold in September 2000.
From 1981 to 1999, Pace served in a wide variety of positions with PepsiCo Inc. and later with the spun-off Tricon Global Restaurants (now YUM! Brands Inc.). From 1995 to 1999, Pace served as senior vice president of human resources for Tricon Restaurants International, which employed more than 300,000 people in 92 countries. In addition, Pace held overseas executive assignments in Cyprus for the Middle East/Africa region of Pepsi-Cola International and in London for its European operations.
“With his extensive experience managing a large work force, Dave is well qualified to cultivate a range of programs for Starbucks almost 60,000 partners that support our commitment to partner development as well as our aggressive growth plan,” Smith added.
