W. Howard Lester

Howard spent the first 20 years of his career in the software industry. He began selling computers in 1958 and soon left to form a computer services company at the age of 25. He later sold his company to a larger company in Los Angeles. Five years later, he bought another software firm, Centurex, which became the major provider of software to commercial banks. After selling the company in 1976, he “retired”, only to purchase Williams-Sonoma a short time later.

In 1978 Williams-Sonoma was a very small four million dollar annual sales company. Today it approaches three billion dollars in sales, with multiple brands serving the home, including Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen, Hold Everything, Chambers and West Elm.

Howard served as CEO from 1978 until 2001. He continues to serve as Chairman.

He presently serves on the Board of Directors of Harold’s Stores, Inc. and is on the Executive Council of UCSF. He serves on the Advisory Boards of the Retail Management Institute of Santa Clara University and the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1991, Mr. Lester endowed The Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation within the Haas School.

He has served on many industry and philanthropic boards during his career including International Association of Shopping Centers, the Retail Institute of Santa Clara University, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Boy Scouts of America and is a national trustee of 1st Tee.

Howard was born and raised in Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma. He was elected to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2001.

August 2003

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