Martha Helen Kostyra Stewart
Born: August 3, 1941
Place of Birth: Jersey City, New Jersey
Major Notes:
Martha Stewart and her business projects have influenced the very environment of thousands in today's society.
She was born in a Polish family having an older brother and three younger sisters.
When Stewart was three years old, the family moved to Nutley, New Jersey, where she received all her pre-college education.
Stewart learned her initial kitchen skills from her mother and grandmother including cooking, canning, and preserving.
From her father, who was a gardener, Martha Stewart learned how to plant and care for flowers, vegetables, and trees.
Stewart was a keen student and while in high school started a modeling career in New York.
After high school, she continued to model to offset expenses while attending Barnard College in New York.
In 1961, she married Andy Stewart, and with his help the two decorated their first apartment which was the start of her decorating career.
They had a child in 1965 and moved into a one room school house, completely renovating and decorating it.
At this point, Stewart left modeling and worked as a stockbroker where she apprenticed in the business world.
Her husband founded a publishing house and helped in running several others.
In 1973, they bought a 1805 farmhouse in Westport, Connecticut, that they again restored and decorated.
This farm house would be known as in their future commercials as the Turkey Hill Road home.
During this renovation, Martha Stewart started a very successful catering business which impressed the local community and the business world.
In 1982, she wrote and published books on entertaining and cooking and became known as a lifestyle consultant.
Soon she was appearing on television and offering a new magazine which progressed on the ideas presented in her books.
Stewart accepted the role of being a spokesperson for the K-Mart retail chain which gave a distribution channel for her products.
She founded a successful company called Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia which was placed on the stock market.
In 2003 Stewart was charged with inside trading on the stock market along with some related charges.
The inside trading charge was dropped but Stewart was found guilty on the other charges.
She served five months in prison and has all along claimed her innocence while her business interests continued.
Martha Stewart is still a role model both in the business world and for the thousands of homemakers who still support her.
For detailed research and more information, check out any of the following:
eSSORTMENT
Inc.com
Academy of Achievement
Wikipedia
Net Glimse
Last Updated: June 17, 2006
© USA-Hero/Don
Jones 2004