Tom Stemberg’s association with Harvard dates back to 1967, as he earned his undergraduate degree from the College in 1971 and business degree from Harvard Business School in 1973 as a George F. Baker Scholar. During his time in Cambridge, Stemberg co-founded The Harvard Independent, a student-run newspaper, took on business management roles with Harvard Student Agencies and supported the basketball team as a member of the Harvard band.
 
One of Stemberg’s proudest contributions to Harvard was serving as the “Godfather” of the Friends of Harvard Basketball, having helped found the group in 1974. His unwavering support of the Crimson basketball program throughout his life led to his family endowing the men’s head coaching position. Stemberg, who passed away in 2015, also has the distinct recognition of having the court at the newly renovated Lavietes Pavilion named in his honor.  The Thomas G. Stemberg ’71 Court will hold its official dedication in February prior to a men’s basketball home game.  
 
A tremendously successful businessman, Stemberg became the youngest vice president at the Jewel Companies, a prominent Chicago-based grocery chain, at age 27. Considered a titan and visionary in the retail industry, his experiences at Harvard allowed him to launch and co-found the office supply superstore, Staples, in 1986, where he served as chief executive officer for 16 years. During his career, he served on the boards for Carmax, Lululemon and Petsmart in addition to serving on the Board of Overseers for the Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences and the Visiting Committee of Harvard Business School.
 
Two of Stemberg’s sons, Rylan Hamilton AB ’02, MBA ’09, and William Stemberg AB ’14 also attended Harvard. His family remains incredibly active in and dedicated to supporting the Harvard basketball program today.