James W. Keyes ’80

James W. Keyes is the chairman of Wild Oats Marketplace, a position he’s held since 2012. He was previously the CEO of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets, a new format for healthy, convenient food stores, and served as chairman and CEO of Blockbuster, Inc.

A 21-year veteran of 7-Eleven, Inc., the world’s largest chain of convenience stores, Mr. Keyes served as its president and CEO from 2000 until 2005. Under his leadership, the company experienced record sales and profits and implemented new retail systems technology that improved product assortment decisions in every store. He also ushered in a new era for 7-Eleven through the introduction of a host of new electronic services.

Prior to serving as president and CEO, Keyes held a variety of positions at 7-Eleven, including chief financial officer, executive vice president, and chief operating officer. Keyes retired from 7-Eleven upon the sale of the company in 2005.

Mr. Keyes currently serves on the board of the American Red Cross and was chair of the American Red Cross National Philanthropic Board. He also sits on the boards of Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, the Dallas Symphony Association, the Dallas Education Foundation, the Cooper Institute, and Columbia Business School. Keyes is also the founder and a board member of the Education is Freedom foundation, which provides college scholarships for hard-working young students. He was a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award in 2005.

Mr. Keyes graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1980.